Fitness Memes I Refuse To Post

As a Beachbody coach, part of my job is to motivate and inspire people to be the best version of themselves. Usually, I turn to Pinterest to look for cute graphics to help illustrate my point before I post a status. Lately I've been thinking that there are some, while they have good intentions, only fuel the feelings of inadequacy among women and really make it seem like an impossible goal.

I never have, nor will I ever, post a picture of a super thin, muscular and oiled up woman with no butt and her hips sticking out. I don't do this because I look down on women that look like that or think it's an unattainable goal for myself, but because that's not the one defining image of healthy I want to project. Women have butts, thighs, hips... NATURALLY! They can still be healthy and have softness and curves.

While I try to be positive most days, today I am posting some images I hate in hopes that you will also realize that you don't HAVE to look like that to be sexy. Don't be so hard on yourself and be healthy for YOU and not for others.

#1- Fat Lasts Longer Than Flavor- This is outrageous and also a total lie. You know what I like better than working out and getting rid of my "fat?" Food. I love food. Food and I have had a 28-year relationship that I would hate to see go to waste. This meme gives the message that healthy food can't taste good. And, that you have to eat unhealthy food to find flavor. Wrong. So wrong. In fact, many times healthy, fresh food tastes WAY better than processed food.

There are countless cookbooks that focus solely on delicious AND healthy food. You only have to look as far as the internet, folks. Remember: Healthy food CAN be delicious AND you don't get the guilt afterwards that you would get after a #3 at McDonalds. Don't let crap like this image fool you. It's nonsense.

I found another picture that I would DEFINTIELY use that portrays a better message about food. It's simple and gives a great message. Yes, you HAVE to eat to live, but you don't have to live to eat.

#2- Um... ? Seriously, WHAT is this girl doing?! Yes, she has great body. Yes, it's clear she's worked hard to be that toned. But that come hither look she's got going on says, "I'm sexy." Yes, you are, TO SOME. Truth be told, her body isn't 100% realistic for most women. It CAN be, sure, but if you have tons of time and eat totally clean. That's not realistic for 90% of the women I know. They have kids that want macaroni and jobs that require them to work long hours and sit most of the time. But, women look at this and think, THAT IS SEXY. You know what I think? It's confident. And that's the sexiest thing about this picture.

Going into the new year, where the inevitable #1 resolution will be to get in better shape, I'm concerned about women setting goals for themselves to look like this girl and then get discouraged 2 weeks in because you don't yet. You CAN look like this if you put in the work, both with fitness and your diet. The better option for this one is the image below. Your only comparison should be to yourself. Imagine that.

#3 Nothing tastes as good as skinny feels. Guys, PLEASE, if you get anything out of this entry, take this (and I'm talking to myself here as well), skinny is not the magical cure that will make you happy with your body. I PROMISE you. Yeah, if I could fit into my jeans from college, I'd be happy about that. I'd be happy if, when I waved, my arms didn't jiggle like a lunch lady's. I'd be thrilled if I could wear a bathing suit confidently. BUT I also know skinny people who would be happy with those things, too.

If I lost the amount of weight that I want to lose, I would still have hips and a butt. Guaranteed, y'all. I weighed 110 pounds when I graduated from high school and I had hips and a booty. It's just how I'm built. I will never look like the girl in the picture. In fact, I'm pretty sure that's Kate Moss, a SUPERMODEL. It's giving me, as the viewer, an unrelaistic view of healthy. Here's something better: Nothing looks as good as healthy feels. Super skinny NEVER looks better than a healthy woman. Remember that. Also, Marilyn Monroe was a size 14.

 

 

 I could go on with this, but the entry could get REALLY long. Just remember when you are looking at Facebook or Pinterest or billboards or TV (images are EVERYWHERE!) that you have to put your filter on because not all memes are sending a message of health. If you're interested in getting HEALTHY and making a lifestyle change, I'd love to talk to you about some great options through Beachbody and some things that have worked for me. Be the best version of YOURSELF, not someone else. <3

Reflections upon my college town and why you can never be 22 again.

This past weekend, I made my annual trek with one of my best friends to our college town for our SIXTH Homecoming weekend since we graduated. This subject matter began as a Facebook status, but then it just got super long and that's just obnoxious on Facebook. It's why God invented blogs.

So this weekend is always a girl's weekend and we happen to run into people we know all weekend. Each year, the amount of people we know is fewer and fewer. We have a fantastic time no matter what, because the reason we go is to hang out with each other and not with other people. We met in college and began our friendship there, so it's fun for us to take a stroll down memory lane for one weekend each year.

The weekend generally shakes down like this: We both take Friday off work so we can take our time getting there to get settled, relax and maybe walk around campus. This year we got lunch at our favorite bar and took a long stroll around the prettiest campus in the world.

We plan to stay "in" on Friday night, which we totally did this year. We were staying at a bed and breakfast of sorts that we chose because it's central location in the town. You just a rent a room, so the owner had other renters. All of them were older than us. They ALL went out Friday night and we stayed in. After some wine, we decided that we were being really boring, so we went out. It was a ball, but we stayed until the bar closed.

Then we get up in the morning and go to the Homecoming parade. Due to our super convenient location, it's literally right outside our door. My friend Jess decided she neded coffee, so we walked up the parade route to check out the new Starbucks in the campus library. It was amazing, but after awhile, you tend to forget just how long the walk is! We walked A LOT this weekend. But, the weather was perfect and with a campus as gorgeous as ours, how can you not love it?

Starbucks was amazing.

Saturday of course brings the football game and other shenanigans. We had another girl friend join us on Saturday and she wanted to see the changes in the Union again, so we took yet another tour. That night, we went to "our" bar again. We tried to sit and talk to catch up on each other's lives, until it got too loud. Then we were on the dance floor the rest of the night, both dancing and trying to dodge the flailing arms of the drunken coeds around us.

Sunday, we got up and came home, happily exhausted, but so ready to get back to the real world.

It is now Monday afternoon. I have been dealing with a sore throat and hoarse voice all day so I'm constantly remined of the weekend.

I learned a few things:

1. I am no longer 21. I require a ton of sleep and I. AM. EXHAUSTED. Last night, I actually dreamt that I was sleeping. I'm either the most boring person in the world or I'm utterly pooped.

2. I can no longer eat like a college kid. Grease is not my friend. Of course going to a place with so many memories, you have to hit up your old favorite restuarants. One was the bar we loved that has amazing cheeseburgers and cheeseballs. Saturday night, we HAD to go to our favorite Mexican place. I'm pretty sure there was a layer of grease under the lettuce on my taco salad.  I woke up one morning craving my Shakeology shake and to go on a run.

3. I am no longer relevant. I am not exaggerating when I say that every girl we saw was wearing black leggings with boots. They varied of course because college kids want to SEEM original while fitting into the fine social infrastructure that is a college town. Some leggings were ripped, some were floral or patterned. Some boots were UGG boots, some were combat, yes, COMBAT, boots. I look older just because I wear a full oufit. Someone in the line for the bathroom looked at me and said, "you must be an alumna." Nope kid, I just missed the memo. But then again, they don't know what memos are either. *sigh*

4. As sad as this is to announce, I have outgrown that town. You're probably thinking, DUH... you've been out of college longer than you were in. I know. but let me 'splain. In that town, I learned a LOT about myself. A lot that helped to form who I am today, 6 years later. I had my first apartment there so it was literally MY FIRST HOME. Not with my parents or with family. It was ALL MINE. That town has always held a special place in my heart largely because of that.

5. Finally and most importantly, I missed my husband. Yes, yes, I know there's a certain gag factor with that statement. But he's considerate and kind which are two charateristics that college guys, both in 2013 and when I was there, are definitely lacking. The boys we bumped into were strangers, but they were rude, crass and inappropriate. I have grown up and my home is now with my husband. I was anxious to get back to what is now my home.

I love my college, the town and my experience there. More so, I love that I made lasting friendships with 2 of the girls I got to see this weekend. I hope that we always schedule time together each year to hang out, reconnect and reminisce. I will never pass that up. All my life!

Consistency is key. Too bad I always lose my keys.

It's been awhile since I posted a blog... there's been a lot going on and yet, not a lot of it has been blog-worthy!

First, Randy and I are settling into life as Mr. and Mrs... it's been fun and I love being married to him! Every day is different and new and fun....ahhh the life of a newlywed! I've mentioned before that my husband is an enormous support to me. He encourages me to keep going, strive toward my goal and is genuinely happy for me when I get just one step closer.

Meanwhile, he loses a few pounds and I am sulky and jealous. I'm working on that... we ARE a team after all-- his successes are mine, right?

We laid in bed one night and had a very serious conversation about what motivates us-- I'd been struggling with motivation at the time. We had just talked about how to serve Christ in the best way in church and one example was to treat your body as a temple and that message really hit home with us. We commited to that as being our motivation. As Christians, glorifying God with our bodies is part of the deal and so far, it's working! I re-think what I eat, how I work out... it's slowly changing my life.

What I still need to work on is consistency. Anyone with a little common sense knows that consistency is the KEY to seeing results. DUH: You do it everyday, you're going to get really good at it. The thing is, I don't feel like doing something every day. Some days, (it's rainy and finally a little cold) I'd rather put on my husband's sweat pants and heat up a cup of soup. That's right, I have chronic laziness and it's a beast to cure.

This is me.

Luckily, I'm working on it. I'm doing Focus T-25, a Beachbody workout that only takes 25 minutes PER DAY! Just 25 minutes. I shoot to do it right after work so then it's done, I can still have time to cook dinner and have my evening to myself. You guys, this is a great program... if you are interested in learning more about it, PLEASE let me know! www.beachbodycoach.com/Lacina13 I'd love to talk with you.

When I lived in Kansas City right after college, I took yoga classes with friends from work. I really enjoyed it then. My gym here has begun offering it twice a week, so to supplement my T-25, I have started yoga twice a week. Last night was my first night back. I'm sore today, but I slept LIKE A BABY last night, woke up sore, but with a ton of energy and and so excited to go back! It's so phenomenal for stretching.

So friends, I guess my point is, you have to find what motivates you and then work on that consistency. That's where I'm at right now and it's so much easier said than done.. kind of like keeping track of my own car keys :)

Honesty with a serious face. -_-

Hey you guys, Happy Monday! This weekend has been a rough one for me, for a few reasons.

1. My spare room is a source of stress and contention. It's currently our "catch-all" room. It's got the makings of a wonderful bedroom, but it's also got two bicycles in it. The end goal is that it be a mult-purpose room for us... guest bedroom, office, study, storage, and craft room. I can TOTALLY make this happen-- I just need like, a whole day (or two) to get things organized in there. I have a plan that I plan to execute by the end of this week...get ready for a rockin' spare room, friends.

2. This is how I've felt all weekend:

Not even kidding y'all, my goal is to be as comfortable as possible when I'm at home. This means: No bra and my husband's sweat pants and old shirts. It's how I roll.

 

This weekend, I just realized how sick of looking at myself I actually am. I take a long time to get ready to go anywhere because I feel like it takes me a long time to look presentable and mostly, to find clothes that fit me.... it's difficult because for the past year, I've teetered back and forth between the same 10 pounds. I'm on the higher end of that again and it's not ideal. I'm just sort of over being chubby, friends.

When I pictured my life as a married woman, I pictured farmer's market dates and bicycle rides (so many of you liked this picture, I'll repost it just for you). I pictured being healthy and active and cute. Instead, my husband is active and works out and I err on the side of lazy.

BUT NO MORE! I have a goal... 10 pounds before Christmas. That is totally doable and I'm determined. I woke up this morning and ran for 20 minutes. It was only 20 minutes, but I'm not a runner. I don't agree with running, but running agrees with me... my skin looks better, it injects a ton of energy in me for the day.. it's just good. Plus, I don't want to squander the few weeks of great weather we have in Iowa. Seriously, it ain't much and I will do nothing but complain about snow when it happens, so I may as well embrace this nice weather.

The thing is, I'm lazy. I'm working on the routine motivation to reach a good place but I do love my couch, sweatpants and food. I realize just saying that how pathetic that sounds, but I can't help it. I love all the laziness, but I aspire to be active. I'm working on it. It's a daily, sometimes hourly, struggle and that's ok. Getting to a good place isn't going to happen in a week because getting to where I am now took years.

It's August and I'm giving myself 4 months to make some headway. Cheers to the second part of 2013!

The madness of life

A lot has been going on since I last posted a blog entry. These events have made me re-evaluate my plans.

Two weekends ago was my high school reunion -- 10 years (kind of gives away the "twentysomething" illusion if you can do that math, right?) I planned the entire thing... it was just a bar night Friday night and then a family picnic on Saturday. Nothing fancy, but it does include getting some logistics and 200+ people together.

The day of the reunion, I felt that anxiety that most people do before seeing people that haven't seen you in a decade. I wanted to impress, of course, and I wanted people this I looked GOOD. So I went on a hunt for a new dress. I found the dress at Kohl's in the junior section. I was feeling pretty good about myself. I went home and spent the afternoon getting ready for the night. Yes, it was a bit of overkill, but I didn't want to feel rushed.


A pic I sent my sister to make sure I looked OK.

I get to the reunion and people slowly trickle in. It was so much fun to see all these people! A guy that I was always friendly with (we always had to sit next to each other since our last names were close in the alphabet) came up to me and started in on the typical "what have you been up to?" questions. Then, he innocently dropped the ball.

"I see you have a little baby bump! When are you due?"

My heart dropped but I played it off as best I could. Shortly after I excused myself and went to the bathroom and cried a little bit. You guys, it was horrible. After all the progress I have made, it's not good enough. People still think I look pregnant. It's discouraging and not at all good for my self-esteem.

After some pity-party crying to my husband and some self-reflection, I realized I can work harder and be better. There's no excuse for not being healthy. For the unhealthy lifestyle most Americans have access to (fast food on every corner, reasons to sit on the couch, etc) there are just as many resources for one that wants to be healthy. You just have to look for them.

The following week, I made a pretty big commitment to be healthier. I have realized I need help with motivation and accountability. My sister has been talking to me for a few months about becoming a Beachbody Coach. Of course, I was skeptical because I noramlly hate when people hit me up for their "small businesses"...I find it to be intrusive most of the time. BUT- this isn't a good... it's a service that promotes being healthy for SO many reasons. If you've got any questions about shakeology or and of the Beachbody workout systems, PLEASE let me know! We can grow in our healthiness together.

Then this Monday, I woke up at 6am and Randy and I went on a run/walk. It wasn't super sweaty, but I'd say we went about 2 miles. Next time I run/walk, I'll do more running than walking. This morning I woke up early and stretched for 40 minutes. It was well needed and everyone should do it all the time. Stretching is amazing. I'm getting back in to an active lifestyle and I love it.

Now, the other part of being healthy is eating. That's a daily battle, you guys, DAILY. Because, I love food and eating. My first step towards a better goal is MORE WATER... I had 6 bottles at work yesterday and I only drink water at home. It helps keep me full.

I would also like to promote a website I found called SuperCook. You guys, I am forever missing just one or two ingredients from a recipe so I have to run to the store to get it and it's more money spent, etc. On this website, you can select items that you already have in your kitchen and it finds recipes for you! We have this basil and parmesan stuffed lemon chicken last night... carb free and mostly sodium free! Randy raved about it all night, which really is such a compliment. (It's the little things, I guess!) Try the website... it's SUCH a time saver!

Inspiration

It freaks me out to see muppets' feet. I mean, it is just weird.

Hey friends! Today, I would like to talk a bit about inspiration. (Doesn't this seem like a segment on Sesame Street? Teaching children what inspiration means and using the word in various scenarios as examples? In fact, just pretend I am Grover for this whole entry. He is my favorite, mostly because he never uses contractions when speaking.)

ANYWAY- I fancy myself to be a creative person and have generally associated inspiration with creative projects. A little bit of inspiration can go a long way when we are talking about projects around the house, etc.

A simple Google search gave me the actual definition of inspiration:

Noun The process of being mentally stimulated to do or feel something, esp. to do something creative: "flashes of inspiration". The quality of having been so stimulated, esp. when evident in something: "a moment of inspiration in an otherwise dull display".

Synonyms afflatus - inhalation

Ohhh-- see that? "Esp. to do something creative." Just call me Noah Webster, folks. Look at the first part of the definition though: The process of being mentally stimulated to do or feel something. Mental stimulation is HARD, y'all. I struggle with getting out of bed to work out early... I actually DON'T get out of bed every day because I love sleep SO much. But I want to be a morning workout person! I also struggle to workout everyday after work. Really, I want to go home, watch House Hunters and eat chips while wearing something with a durable elastic waistband. I have to force myself to change out of work clothes into yoga pants and a sports bra and work out. By the time I get into the workout, I feel awesome, but getting started is the worst. Woody Allen said, "Eighty percent of success is showing up." So true, Woody. So true.

You may be thinking, "Grover, what you need is motivation! Not inspiration!" Motivation is a little different; here's the definition of motivation.

Motivation:

Noun The reason or reasons one has for acting or behaving in a particular way. The general desire or willingness of someone to do something.

Synonyms motive - incentive - stimulus - impulse Having motivation to work out is one thing and people DO need it, but I think a person with my specific brand of laziness need that extra push of INSPIRATION. Once inspired, I am motivated to not only work out, but prepare a healthy dinner and clean my house a little. I go to bed feeling accomplished with a well-deserved sleepiness. But what inspires me?! Let me tell you, I can find more inspirational memes online faster than you can say Pinterest search. Yes. I would like thighs that do not touch and a stomach so flat that one could eat a 3 course meal off of it. But, many of the photos in the memes are so far away from where I am now that it is almost discouraging to look at. The message is always good, but the visual ruins it for me. So, I focus on tangible things that I have witnessed to inspire me!  First, my husband. You guys, this man loves me so much that he believes I can do anything! He not only encourages me but gently forces me too (see aforementioned laziness).  He urges me to be the best I can be. For me. Not because he wants me to look a certain way or because a friend is thinner than me and I compare myself, but because I want to. It's not worth doing if it's for another person, right? The man makes me a healthy protein-packed breakfast nearly every day and makes sure we have healthy snacks in the house. I am blessed to have him in my life.   My sister, Meghan, is a military wife, which means that she does a lot of the day-to-day duties of having a family on her own, since her husband is in schools or trainings, etc. She also has two gorgeous kiddos, and is a wonderful mother. She makes time nearly every day to work out AND has time to plan meals and be healthy. In comparison, I have zero children and the only things I have to keep alive are five plants on my porch (which is a challenge most days), so Meghan's level of commitment is inspirational to me. Plus she is my sister so, ya know, she rocks. Christina- Christina is a former co-worker and has ALWAYS been one of the most positive and upbeat people I have ever encountered. I'm not even exagerrating... she goes into schools for work and the girls say, "ROCK ON SISTA!!!" which is her amazing catchphrase. She brings such happiness to those around her wherever she goes. This is an inspiration in itself, but you guys, she started a whole new lifestyle change in February and with a change in eating and regular exercise has lost 104 pounds. She also LOVES working out... this woman is just wonderful. So, I urge you to find what motivates you. If it is a size nothing girl in a meme online, I am not judging because you have to find what works for you. For me, it's my family and friends that have done wonderful things. This has been brought to you by the letter L and the number 8 and Viewers Like You.

Kale experiment and Adele

Happy Thursday, everyone! I don't know about you, but Thursday tends to be my busiest day at work. People at work lazily bumble through Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday and then Thursday arrives and all of a sudden they realize the week is almost over. Let's face it, no one stays in my office for a full day on Fridays, so really, they get one solid day of work done per week. For this reason, I believe 3 day weekends and 4 day weeks are totally worth it, but I digress. It's a topic for another day.

Anyway, I mentioned yesterday that I was going to experiment with kale for the first time last night. Randy was at work so it was a solo project, which is kind of good so I could test it out before I made him try it.

I started off with some flatbread. The recipe called for dough, but I prefer flatbread or wraps because it gives you the illusion of lots of carbs without making you feel like crap after.


Kale Flatbreads
2-4 servings
Toss thinly sliced stemmed kale leaves with
olive oil and season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Stretch 1 purchased pizza dough (about one 9" round) into a thin crust and brush with olive oil; sprinkle with grated Parmesan. Scatter kale over, followed by a layer of crumbled feta and shredded mozzarella; bake in a 400° oven until crust is golden, about 10 minutes.

I  made a side of steamed zucchini. Not only is this a delicious meatless meal, it's also super filling and really yummy. <<< Obviously I'm using my best adjectives today.

Randy was getting off work at 11pm so I preheated the oven for him and assembled his pizza before I went to bed. Randy is not a veggie lover, although he will eat them. Instead of a side of zucchini, I made peas for him. He made his pizza and loved it! I'm so excited we are venturing into healthy meals together... we are both kind of surprised about how much we like.

I found tons of kale recipes on pinterest, so pretty much anything you are craving can be found there and can be made with kale. Pizza? Salad? Chips? Smoothie? Bacon and Eggs? Done and done. Kale kind of rocks.

In other news, I believe that MSN is out to get me. Yesterday, one of their feature stories was "guess these gams..." Guess which bird-like legs belong to which celebrity. Gorgeous, toned, tanned legs... ridiculous. Today, a feature story was "How much do these stars weigh?" Hesitantly and mostly because I'm pretty bored at work in the morning, I clicked on it. Singer Adele was the first celebrity. I love her. I think she's outrageously talented and stunningly beautiful. But, I have always thought of her as curvy and overweight.

She weighs 166 pounds. Let's discuss this. I weigh 170 pounds and I'm 5'6". She's 5'9" so there goes the "she's probably really short" argument. This girl has to pick it up in the gym because while I love Adele, I know my Happiest will not be found at her size.

So, while I broke my rule of comparison, I DID find my motivation for today!  

Fruits of the Spirit

In Galatians chapter 5, the Bible discusses the Fruits of the Spirit. They are Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness and Self-Control. I do pretty well with most of them, but I struggle with two of them in particular...especially when it comes to dieting and exercise.

Patience: Y'all, this is difficult. You see so many "quick fixes" to weight loss; miracle pills, slim down smoothies, etc. It's hard when you are trying to lose weight the right way to be patient. Results will come if you keep on keepin' on. Just keep swimming, just keep swimming...

Self-control: This one is the worst. I have a wicked sweet tooth and carb craving. To combat this, we don't keep pop in the house or a lot of sweets. We have one pint of ice cream in our freezer (Ben and Jerry's Americone Dream is seriously the best ice cream I have ever eaten) and it's not even open! It's been there two weeks.

Work is a different story. I have candy all around me and pop at my disposal any time I want it. It's a challenge every day to keep on the straight and narrow.

Any motivation is helpful, readers!

Confessions of my biggest problems: Motivation and Consistency

Confession: I haven't really, consistently worked out since the wedding. By that, I mean I've worked out maybe 10 times TOTAL.

Last night, as we often do, the hubs and I sat on our deck enjoying the (hot) gorgeous night, the view of a cornfield, and of the neighbor's big screen tv (we live in an apartment) indulging in a glass of our favorite adult beverage. I chose white wine... cold and delicious.

Yeah... this is us. :)

Randy and I both want and need to lose weight, live a healthy lifestyle and be one of "those" active couples. You know what I'm talking about... the kind that ride bikes (see photo) and go on runs together. Since we've been married, we've been on one run together, and it was great-- but consistency isn't our strong suit.

On the deck, we were talking about healthy recipes, ways we can be more active and where we can find motivation. Randy posed the question, "why does everything have to be about how our bodies look?" I have to admit, he has a point... we tend to be a little obsessive about it.

The thing is, I don't want to constantly think about it. I don't want to mentally count calories every time I eat or drink something. I want to be healthy and gorgeous effortlessly, is that too much to ask?

Conversely though, to get to a happy place, I NEED to think about it constantly until I get to a place where I don't absolutely hate my body. I never used to have to think about it-- I have always been thin. In the past few years though, I've pack on the pounds and people no longer compliment my slim figure. Unfortunately, I have a desire to look the way that society deems sexy. Yep. I said it. I want to be stunningly hot. I want to wear a swimsuit (even just a one piece) without being self conscious. I want to wear a sleeveless shirt. A dress above my knees. Somehow, in the last few years, I've become a master at covering myself.

Is it right for a 27 year old to be so effected my what the world tells us is attractive? No. But it doesn't change the fact that it does, at least for me. Mostly, I want to safeguard myself as much as possible for any and all medical issues that are obesity related-- diabetes, heart conditions, poor joint function....I want to be healthy.

SO. What are my major obstacles getting there? Motivation and Consistency. I don't have them and I want them. So many memes on facebook or pinterest get me a punch of motivation, but only for a moment. It's also in the middle of the day when I'm at work and not able to go out and go for a 5 mile run or whatever.

Consistency is key to any good routine. With the wedding done and my scheduled pretty much set, I have no excuse for myself. But, I can always justify pretty much anything else over working out.

So, here is what I pledge to do for the next week:
Motivation:
   - Look at Pinterest, etc. for motivation just before I leave for work and head to the gym.
   - Talk to Randy, my sister and others for encouragement.
   - Don't compare myself to others.

Consistency:
   - Start my new Beachbody routine this week, T25. It's only 25 minutes long, so I need to commit to waking up at 6 am to make this happen.
   - Make time for breakfast.
   - Plan ahead and go to the gym right after work. I will not go home because I will just want to eat carbs and lay down. Ha.

Keep me accountable folks, because I'm struggling here. Help a sister out!

I'm totally "that girl" right now

I just want to take a moment and gush about how wonderful my husband is. I know. It's annoying and I hate girls that do this all the time because really... it's just irritating. Gush to each other about each other... sheesh.

But, I'm swooning over him on a blog that I share with the world because:
a. it has to do with working out and my long-term goal of fitness and health.
b. because of budget cuts, our Town Crier has been fired, so this is my version of shouting it from the rooftops.
c. to emphasize that every girl needs an Encourager and Motivator in their lives.

Let me begin by saying I have fallen off the wagon. Not in the I'll-be-the-girl-in-the-back-corner-of-the-bar-alcolohism kind of way, but in the foodie way. I love food and so does America on the 4th of July. I didn't do too badly, but ever since the wedding, I've been like a fish out of water... out of Shakeology shakes and grabbing at straws to stay healthy.... it's difficult.

On top of that, I've been trying to get our apartment organized and feeling like a home. I'm the type of person that needs to have order. I am happiest when my personal bubble is tidy and neat...it seems to lower stress. You can imagine my unrest when I can't find anything in my house because it's in a box, or still at my Mom's or whatever.

I will also be the first to admit that I'm not easy to live with (my sister, brother and mother and probably some former post-college roommates can attest to this). I'm the most emotional person I know and also a little paranoid. I also think I have the latest virus or whatever is going around. SARS wasn't bad, but the Swine Flu, Bird Flu, etc... mess. I can't read anything about cancer. I'm that girl. I maintain that that is exactly why I'm not in the medical field. I can't handle it.

Anyway.. I'm emotional and paranoid and mad because I'm back to chubby and my poor husband is still adjusting to life with a wife. He wants to hang out and watch movies and cook dinner together, etc. I want to do those things too, but if I can't function with a mess, it ain't happenin'. Saturday night, after a day of organizing and still feeling like nothing is in it's place, I had a breakdown. My husband was at a loss.

The next day, he mentioned he's going on a run later in the day. I told him I'd go with him. The man is in the military and can run pretty darn fast. In my best shape I'm not a fast runner. I reminded him of this as we began. He assured me it was fine.

After about 3/4 mile in the humid July afternoon, Randy acted like he could comfortably run faster, so I told him, breathlessly, to run ahead if he wanted to. He said, "I will when I run alone... we're a team and we are doing this together." And then he fist-bumped me. The man stuck with me through the whole thing... including a few times when I had to walk (it was about 2 miles total). I'm pretty sure he could have walked faster than we were running, but he didn't mock me by doing so. Afterwards, he told me he was proud of me.

I guess the point of this entry is to tell you all that you NEED to have someone that's 100% on your team and that wants you to succeed for YOU and not for them or anything else. In my case, my team captain is my husband, but for you it could be a friend or neighbor or whomever. It's not about looking a certain way or comparing yourself to someone else. It's about being the best you can be!

sidenote: I have a lot of people on my team, so I don't want to offend any of you out there that are stewing right now. Randy is the one that lives with me, sees me at my worst and most vulnerable and encourages me and believes in me anyway. He's wonderful!

Housewifery at its best.

Hello friends!
   It's been a fairly successful week of getting settled into the new life as a wife and living with my husband. It's going to be a fun ride, folks.

  But I'm not so naive to think that it will always be sunshine and rainbows. Virtually every married person I know has told us as such and I've witnessed it first hand...marriage is just ongoing work. BUT.. I'm enjoying the playing house part of it for now.

So, in my last entry, I expressed a desire to get organized...it WILL happen and my little apartment home will be cozy, efficient and homey. For the wedding we got mostly items for our kitchen. We're appreciative, but now the trick is putting it all somewhere. We are blessed with a large pantry space (honestly, that's what sold me on the apartment!) but with that much space, I don't want things to get lost. I was to be able to see everything!

I've been trolling Pinterest for ideas on organization tips... I'm open to any ideas. These are the tactics I utilized so far:

1. Use baskets/tubs for smaller things. We don't keep a lot of junk food in the house, so we have a little tub for all of that so it's all in one central location. Jello/pudding is all in one. You get the idea.

2. Stair-step shelving for canned items. This allows us to see what's in there.

3. Healthier items at eye-level. -- because we're trying to be awesome. The same tactic was used in the refrigerator, so you are more inclined to grab fresh fruit than something unhealthy.

Here's (one side of) the pantry thus far:

Also, I'm making progress on the meal planning part of my goal. Months ago, my sister told me about www.emeals.com. On that website, you can choose your family size and the diet you'd like to follow (meal planning AND healthy eating in one blow? Yes, please!) The meal plans include, Paleo, vegetarian, classic, low carb, etc. I opted for Clean Eating. Then you download a week's worth of dinners and/or lunches. Main dishes, side dishes AND a grocery list, friends. This does cost to do this, but not that much! Plus my sister sent me a groupon! Woop! http://www.groupon.com/deals/e-meals-1-raleigh-durham

My first adventure with this plan was Mustard-Glazed Salmon with tomato-watermelon salad. It was SO great, and we had most of the ingredients already in our house. The glaze was a little much for me... I would have probably only put on half of what I did on my piece of salmon, but it was delicious. Even Randy complimented it several times, so you know it's good!

Last night was Randy's first night back at work. I went to mom's to get some stuff to take back to the apartment, ate dinner there and then got back to the apartment about 8:30.

From there, magic happened. My friend Amanda told me that Thursdays are her cleaning night. I think this is brilliant. That way, everything is clean and done and you can enjoy the weekend rather than spending 2 days getting things done around the house. I was inspired.

So, when I got home, I unpacked all the things I brough from my mom's house... clothes, toiletry items... nothing crazy. I plan to enlist the help of my nephews to help when they visit this weekend. Then, I put in a load of laundry and folded the pile of Chinese laundry-style laundry (see previous post). This included sheets and I think I have strangely mastered the art of folding a fitted sheet. I kinda rock at it.

Then I put on my heels and apron Randy's gym shorts and a t-shirt and mopped the kitchen floor. Vacuumed. Put away laundry. Made the spare bedroom bed.

Peach Cobbler. Bam.

Then I remembered Randy suggested we make spaghetti so he can eat on it this weekend during his weird work hours. So, I got busy browning the turkey. I felt like it would be easy since we had a jar of sauce in the pantry. Wrong. We had tomato soup and tomato paste. So, with those things, I created a sauce, which was amazing. I kept snitching it.

I was on a roll, and in our refrigerator we had some farmer's market peaches that were a few days from being gross, so I made a peach cobbler. That turned out pretty well also! I put a little oatmeal in it, just to try that, and it was great, but just a BIT dry... so I'll need more milk or water next time.

By the time Randy got home, I felt so accomplished. I was just laying around watching Friends like I had been lazy all night. While Randy watched Sports Center and ate spaghetti to detox from his "day" at work, I fell asleep.

Again, realize it won't always be like this, but it will be fun for awhile!

Getting organized to be organized plus one big character flaw

There are a few characteristics about me that you should all be aware of, moving forward. The first is that I love to be organized. But, in recent months and with my living situation, I have been doing a LAZY, terrible job of doing that. Now that I have my own home, it's time to get my life together and be organized and neat.

One of my biggest loves is making lists. I. love. lists. I feel like it was a habit of highly effective people listed in the book of the same name that was popular in the 90s. What most people don't realize is that while making lists is great, you actually have to follow through with completing things on the list. That's the fun of it, right? Crossing things off the list?

<confession: I've actually added things to my list after I've completed them just so I can cross them off. It's a problem.>>

So at this point, I guess you could call me a list hoarder. There are lists everywhere for everything and I'm overwhelmed with post-its. I would like to streamline these lists so I'm not buried in lists. My attempts at efficiency are mediocre at best. I feel like I should get one central list and work from there. So, here we go..

Goals for organization in my life:

- Go through mail. I hate mail and I usually just let it pile up. Then it becomes a cancer on my desk or in purses or whatever... it's too much. I need to get rid of what I don't want or need and file the rest.
- Purge. Get rid of things I do not need or want. This includes:
   - Closets: Clothes that don't fit or that I no longer want. Get rid of them by selling or donating them.
   - Email inbox: Seriously, with all the online groups, passwords, websites I belong to, etc. etc. It's junks up my email inbox faster than you can imagine. I am planning to unsubscribe for many email lists and focus on actually emailing people I know.
   - My car: It's cluttered and dysfunctional.
   - Text Messages: That inbox is super full. It also needs to be tidied up.
- Organize. I would like to have each nook and cranny of my home to be the picture of efficiency and organization. We also need to have a use for everything we own. If we don't, we'll grow out of out apartment pretty quickly. Obviously, I'd like my closet and pantry to look like this:



 

 

 

It's a work in progress. I want everything to make sense and be easy to see and find. Otherwise we'll be a mess. Other organization goals include:

 

- Under the kitchen and bathroom sinks

- Craft Supplies

- Winter/Summer Clothes

- Laundry Room

 

As a result of these things, I would like to have a garage sale in September. So, I have the summer to get my life together and be organized. Can we do this?! YES WE CAN!!

 



Post wedding and getting into a routine

The last month of my life has been an exercise in patience and coping with disorganization. Most days, I think I've lost my mind. Most of my stuff is still at my mother's home, while I am now living with a BOY, working on the name change process and still amazed that the whole wedding even happened. I am not myself. From what I understand from my dear friend Amanda, this is totally normal.

June 15, I married my best friend, partner in crime and the peanut butter to my jelly. It was a fantastic day that I wish I could re-live (well, most of it anyway!) I wouldn't trade my wedding day for the world... it was perfect.

We got married outside and it has been raining here literally every day for 3 weeks. My wedding day was no different; it rained in the morning. But, the rain held out for the ceremony and although sticky humidity set in, we had a gorgeous wedding.

From June 16 to June 19, we hung out with my family for a smaller version of our annual family vacation. We spent the 20-23 in Kansas City on what we've affectionately named "the mini moon." We had an absolute ball...If you'd like to plan a trip soon, go to a large city near you. It's pretty inexpensive and there's always a lot of fun exploring to do!

<<disclaimer>> I plan to discuss other topics besides my weight loss in this blog, but not really today. Bear with me.

So, referring back to my blogs pre-wedding, I didn't get to my goal of losing 25 pounds before the Big Day. But, I lost 15 pounds and I'm proud of that. I worked hard for it and I am healthier than I was last year, so I can't complain. But, I still have a long way to go!

In my wedding and post-wedding time, I ate like complate crap... anything I wanted and how much I wanted. I was gluttonous. So it came as no surprise that I gained a few pounds. My workout with the trainer yesterday (my first in two weeks!) was difficult and it was like I was starting off at the beginning again. I was back on track with eating and drinking water and it felt great.

Now, for the last few months, Randy and I have been putting a lot off saying that it will be done "after the wedding." Things like seeing a particular movie or planning a weekend with friends... it just could not be squeezed in. So, the time has come, (the walrus said) to do some of those things we said we'd do.

One of them is meal planning and being healthy together. Randy works a non-traditional schedule so planning will behoove us and I will get to be a healthy cook. I'm excited for that. Does anyone have any great methods or tools they use for meal planning? I'm open to suggestions!!

Fighting temptations

Happy Friday, friends. I don't know about you but between allergies and the incessant sneezing that accompanies them, lack of sleep and workouts, I am ready for this week to be over. It has seriously kicked my booty.

Yesterday, I went to bed pretty darn proud of myself. There are lots of reasons why, so here's a little shake down of  my afternoon:

 

About 2:30, 3pm I hit a wall. It was a gorgeous day yesterday so many people in my office cut out early to golf or get some yard work done while we have a reprieve from the rain. I. was. zonked. I couldn't keep my eyes open! I thought, "you know what I need? Caffeine. Just a little to get me through the rest of my day." So I went to the kitchen in my office and grabbed a Pepsi. I set the Pepsi on my desk next to my shake container and my bottle of water while I had an inner battle with myself. We then proceeded to have a stare down.

For anyone that has tried to lose weight, you know this struggle. You want what is in front of you even though you know you shouldn't. Eventually you give in and then doesn't taste as good as you remember it. The flavor is more like disappointment. Then you regret doing it, yada, yada, yada.

I weighed my options and then I put the Pepsi back in the refrigerator, y'all! Instead, I refilled my water bottle and walked around my office a few times. The main hallway goes in a circle around the office, so I did a couple laps and I felt better.

THEN, I had an alumni event after work. This was at a sports bar <one that is famous for pizza and has plenty of fried options>. I knew my sister was making a healthy meal at home (again! how lucky am I!?) but I was hungry. I bypassed all the fried stuff and ordered a water and a side of cottage cheese. I totally rocked that event.

When I went home, Meg had made shredded taco chicken, so I ate a chicken taco and it was amazingggg. Perfectly filling!

But, I had hit a wall again. Meg convinced me to do Hip Hop Abs with her for 25 minutes.

A word about Meghan: She's my younger sister, a wife and a mommy of a 2 year old and a 7 month old. Yesterday, I was exhausted when I got home but somehow she was bubbling over with energy. I don't know how she does it. Anyway, she was super pumped last night to do something. I could have gone straight to bed, but I didn't! Any you know what? Afterwards, I got a third wind and felt better. Hip Hop Abs is kind of a corny workout, so we laughed through the whole thing while getting a workout. It was a blast.

So, I overcame pop, fried food and sleep and had a successful day. Happy Friday, y'all!

My sister, Meghan.

Workout partner

Yesterday was the weekly cardio day at the gym. For good measure, I mixed in a few ab exercises as we're getting closer to the Big Day.

Can I just say, I have killer abs. I have strengthened them quite a bit in the last few months and I can feel a big difference. The only problem is that I have a layer of flab over my rock hard abs. Darn it. It's getting there... gotta keep working!

The treadmill I love was out of order yesterday, so I went into the "cardio room" at my gym. It's a large room with a bunch of differnt cardio machines in it. At the front of the room, there is a wall of TVs, each one showing a differnt channel. At each machine, you can plug in your headphones and watch whatever channel you like. It kind of rocks. Everyone in there is "plugged in," so upon walking into the room, it's eerily quiet. And it smells.

Of course, I didn't have my headphones with me, so I had to make my mind work by convincing my body I can do this! That, in itself, is quite a workout, y'all. Randy was at the gym with me lifting weights and he challenged me to be sweatier than he was.

Challenge accepted.

I got on a treadmill and began my incline workout. In a room that size with all those people behind me, I am painfully aware of any jiggle happening... I know most of you can sympathize. But, if my body was perfect, I wouldn't be there, right? That kept me going.

Note the sweat through the shirt!

4 minutes, incline 3, running at 4.3 pace.
30 sec. of sprinting, incline 3, 5.3 pace.
3 minutes, incline 5, running at 4.3 pace.
30 sec sprint, incline 5, 5.3 pace.
2 minutes, incline 7, 4.3 pace.
30 sec. sprinting, incline 7, 5.3 pace.

That is a a workout, you guys. After that final 30 seconds, I walked at a quick pace at about 3 to cool down a bit. Then every 30 seconds, I decreased the incline and increased the speed until I got to 20 minutes. Whew! I officially sweat through my shirt, which as you all know by now is my definition of athleticism.

I went to check on Randy to see where he was with his workout. He still had 20 minutes. We drove seperately so I could have left, but if I'm going to push myself, he's a good motivator. So, I jumped on the eliptical and started at level 4. Every 2 minutes, I increased the level. I got to sixteen minutes which is level 11. If I did that every single day, do you understand how tight my backside would be? It worked thighs, hips and my butt and I. Was. Soreeee. Randy joined me at the end so while he finished up, I got to stretch my legs a little. There's really nothing better than a nice stretch when your legs ache.

At home, my sister had baked pork, spinach salad and steamed broccoli ready to go. Delish! It was great to not only get a super healthy meal, but to have it waiting for me when I got home! Thank you, Sister!

I weighed myself at home again this morning and it was the same as it was yesterday, so either that scale is busted or I did  a pretty stellar job this last 3 days. My weigh in should go well tonight with the trainer!

Big FAT liars

I am working on not complaining (as much) but there are some things that just aren't fair. (Great intro to a postive blog, right?)

Ok y'all... I usually weigh myself once a week, at the gym, with my trainer. It's best to do that, by the way. Weigh yourself consistently, at the same time of day, once a week for the most accurate results.

Anywho, as a result of my laziness last week, I gained a little on the scale at my weigh in on Monday. But, I didn't work out with the trainer last week either, so I'm meeting with her again this Thursday. So, I'm hoping to drop a pound or two in water weight by Thursday. To check my progress, I weighed myself on my home scale this morning. I was 3.5 down from the scale at the gym on Monday. I know that's not right, thus, the reason for my complaint. Consider this my official grievance to scale companies worldwide.

Dear Weighers:
    You've got some 'splainin' to do. Somehow in the span of 2 days, I lost 3.5 pounds as a result of weighing myself at different times of the day on different scales. I understand that weighing yourself at different times of the day doesn't produce the most accurate results, but I believe the margin of error could be greatly reduced if all the big wigs at the scale companies got together, United Nations style, and came up with a fair and balanced (see what I did there?) system across the board. All of your scales should measure fairly so as not to confuse and depress your customers.
    With the standards of what's considered sexy and thin these days, women are under a lot of pressure. With the pressures of working, managing households, raising families AND trying to stay physically fit, women have a lot of balls to juggle, so to speak. Ergo, a lot of stress accompanies that. You are only adding to that stress with your scheming nonsense scales.
   Get it together, scale companies, because you are either giving women false achievements or false failures. I'd say that's a big FAT mistake.

Best Regards,
Laura

   

A little progress point.

I was going through my phone today at work and deleting some stuff I don't need anymore. I came across this little gem I forgot to post about 2 weeks ago. This is the most current photo I have of my workout progress!

I'd like to shrink down a little more from here, in the belly, hips and arms, but this is a far cry from where I was a year ago!

I think I will celebrate by drinking a bottle...

...of water. :)

The very simple weight loss checklist that I can't seem to master

Ok y'all... I've taken a little break from blogging lately. I could make up plenty of excuses, but let's face it.... I've been lazy. I barely worked out at all last week, which make a difference on the scale, but in my enery level, my eating habits and my mood. Crazy huh?

So, I got to thinking about the perfect weight loss formula. It's actually pretty simple if you think about it:

1. Drink water. All. The. Time.
2. Eat veggies with every meal.
3. Move more... exercise! (Fit happens in the gym, healthy happens in the kitchen)
4. Keep on chuggin' that water. (notice the reiteration)
5. Take a multi-vitamin and fish oil.
6. Stay away from potato-y carbs
7. Eat often (healthy snacks!)
8. Shop around the store... most of the unhealthy grocery items are in the center aisles.
9. Dairy and red meat should be consumed in small quantities
10. WATER!

Sounds so simple, right? Why can't I nail it down? To be fair, I have curbed a lot of my eating issues. I still live with my mother, so I can't fully get away from it because she makes some delicious meals that are not even a little bit healthy. But, once I get married (11 days!) I will get a better handle on it.

A year ago, I was 12 pounds heavier, and a LOT jigglier. Check out the picture...I was round and shiny and .. yowza. Not happy with how jolly I looked. I'm still not quite there but I'm getting there. This was our birthday celebration last year at Joe's Crab Shack (Our birthdays are 2 days apart). Granted a bib does nothing to make a person look thin, but both of us have definitely dropped a few lbs. since then. I'm proud of us.

So, I have 11 days until I get married. I won't get to my ultimate goal by then, but I will be closer to it. I just have to master my get fit list.

Skips.

Apologies for just NOW getting this blog written today. I have been SWAMPED at work and when I'm not at work, I'm at home getting wedding things crossed off my ever-growing list. Y'all, she made me do skips AGAIN. This time, it was 80, 60, 40, 20, 40, 60, 80, with ab exercises in between. I was SOAKING wet with sweat after the workout!

The good news is that at the weigh in yesterday, I've lost another pound! And 1% of body fat. Bam.

Not really anything else to report today. Wedding tasks are clogging my thoughts.

Things you should know about me and other Monday issues.

This weekend was probably the most productive weekend I've had in a long time. I think I've just been so overwhelmed with the things that need to be done in the next 30 days, that I've been in full-on lazy mode. Does that make sense? I've spent the last 2 weeks kind of skating through my workouts (although they've been challenging for the most part) and sleeping. I have been super tired due to the aforementioned overwhelmed laziness.



My closet, pre-weeding.

The weather is finally nice (for the most part, because let's face it; this is Iowa) and I can open the windows and air out the cabin fever that has been happening here since November. I worked outside a lot this weekend, potted some plants for the patio at the new apartment and mowed the yard.

Yesterday, I spent some time packing up my house and weeding out my closet. I realized, I have a TON of clothes that I don't wear anymore, won't ever wear again, or don't fit and probably never will again. I realize how pessimistic that is, but I'm just being realistic. So, I have begun the process of getting rid of clothes. I started with my t-shirts last night. In the photo, all of my t-shirts are in the cubbies on the right side of the photo. Do you realize how many size small shirts I own? A lot. I can't believe I was ever that tiny and it wasn't that long ago.
Something you should know about me: I'm the most emotional person I have ever known. I am not even trying to be funny here... I cry at the drop of a hat. I'm a work in progress, but it's a total flaw at times. Last night, while getting rid of my small shirts, I teared up. I felt like I was admitting to myself that I'll never be where I want to be. That I'll never wear that size again. I mean, I'm still in a medium; it's not like I'm a 4x, but it was still sad.

To be fair, this whole process of packing to move in with a boy (ahem... my husband) is pretty hard on me. I'm closing a chapter of the book of my life that I'll never have back. I won't even have the same name and that's strange for me.

Ok, ok. I will stop being such a stick in the mud! I woke up ready for P90x this morning and did chest, triceps and back. Those exercises are certainly lunch-lady arm busting, but I was exhausted after. I had my healthy breakfast, took my vitamins and I'm perfectly on track for the week. Take THAT, Monday.

Tonight is my workout with the trainer. Last week, I did those stupid "skips" exercises and I'm praying she doesn't do that to me again this week. That screwed up my back and legs like you wouldn't believe. Wish me luck!

The light at the end of the tunnel

Happy Friday!

My counting system.

Workouts for the week, check. Healthy eats, check. Water guzzlin' like a boss, check. I even started a system on my water bottles at work so I don't lose track.

BUT- For today's blog entry, I'm focusing on what's on the top of my brain....that's what a blog is about, right? Well here it is: THE WEDDING IS 29 DAYS AWAY. I'll let that little nugget of information sink in before I continue.

Sunk in? Yeah... me either. We have been engaged since May 2012 and it hardly seems real that the wedding is just around the corner. I'm excited with a side of panic. Panic only because I have a lot to get together before the Big Day! Here's what my current to do list looks like. This may not make sense to all of you but it'll give you an idea of what I have to get done before June 15.

dye the rope for the knot.
learn to tie the knot.
gifts for musician and speak
picture of grandparents
bakery and coffee for opening gifts
water bottles
day of- lunch
decorating reception hall logisitics
trolley
gift/guest table
photog list to Gretchen
boys' outfits
kids' bags
personal attendant folder
email to bridal party
chalkboard signs

This doesn't look like a lot, but keep in mind, my groom and I don't live together, so I have a little packing/purging/moving to do before the wedding. I also have family coming in from out of town so I have some cleaning to get done at the house! AH! It's to the point where I wish I didn't have to work and I could focus my time on prepping for the fesitivities!

Anyway, I better get crackin' on this list! Any encouragement is welcome!

Elevator eyes of intimidation

Ok, so yesterday was good ol' cardio day and you'll be pleased to know I left that gym completely sweaty and barely able to walk.

I started off with the 80 burpees, just to get that nonsense out of the way. I did eight sets of ten and it actually wasn't awful. I mean, I was tired and I definitely broke a sweat, but I made it! Not that long ago, I was hacking and gasping for air trying to do those things. Then I did mountain climbers (3/10) and jumping jacks (3/50).

Then I hopped on the eliptical machine. After about 10 minutes (when my face starts turning a lovely shade of crimson) this girl walked in. She was early 20s, cute, thin and in shape. She was wearing a tye dyed neon tank top and itty bitty little booty shorts. Her hair was perfectly coifed in a fishtail braid or something. She got on the treadmill behind me and spent a whole 5 minutes on it. Then she got on the bike next to me. In front of us is a mirrored wall. I could FEEL her looking at me. When I glanced up, sure enough she was giving me the stink eye. When she noticed that I had seen her, she didn't look away with embarassment like I would have, she gave me elevator eyes. This is when a person looks you up and down.

I'm one of those people that always thinks of what I would do and say after the fact, not at the moment, so of course, I didn't do anything. But you know, that's just plain rude. You don't just stare at someone, especially in a place like the gym. It's supposed to be a safe place where you can be completely disgusting and not judged. I oughta track that girl down and give her a piece of my mind. Come to think of it, last week an older lady was giving me a stink eye too. Keep judgements to yourself in the gym, ok ladies? And be friendly. It ain't that hard!

Last night, I stopped to get chicken breasts at the store on my way home. I made gouda and spinach-stuffed chicken. I topped with tomato. The stuff around it is creamed corn, which was a SMALL amount, but that crap spreads like cancer on your plate!

This morning I was even more sore than yesterday, even though it did feel good to work out. But, I slept in this morning. No p90x for me...

I think I was beat up

Hey friends, it's Wednesday! That means cardio day in my world. And, true to my word, I'll be adding SIXTY minutes to today's (second) workout...and 80 burpees. EIGHTY. *sigh* Me and my big mouth.

Yesterday I didn't work out in the afternoon. I was so sore and I figured if I rested last night, I would be good to go today. No sir. I feel as if someone hit my shins and calves multiple times with a baseball bat and then put on some brass knuckles and went to town on my lower back. Basically, like someone dragged me into an alley and beat me up. My sweet fiance tried to rub some knots out of my back last night and everytime he touched a knot, it would make my leg spasm and then crack me up because it kind of tickled. Imagine being a fly on the wall for that scene. Ridiculous.

So I went home and fell asleep...a Sleeping Beauty-type deep sleep. I was jolted awake at 4:30 by my alarm, still clutching my phone, which is my alarm clock. Apparently I didn't even move last night. Again, I did p90x, back and biceps. But I was in so much pain with my brass knuckle back, I don't feel like I got a lot out of it. Stupid mornings. I wish I didn't have to be at work until 10 because then I could really take my time in the morning and still feel refreshed and not like a beat up zombie.

Here is my current life, by the numbers:
I get married in 31 days....30 days by the calendar. The Big Day is June 15!
Since September, I have lost 8 pounds and 9 and 3/4 inches from my body.
Since I began Shakeology, I have lost and additional 4 pounds and an undetermined amount of inches, since I haven't been measured yet.
I drink 8 bottles of water per day, although I need to increase it.

Death by hopping

Hi all! Happy Tuesday. Yesterday, I had my weekly workout with my trainer.

Let me first say a few works about my trainer. We get along well and she's super fun. Our sessions are this crazy mix of laughter and pure hatred because I'm pretty sure she lays awake at night dreaming up these crazy exercises for her clients me to do. I tell her I hate her and she laughs. She actually said last night that she wishes she could tape our sessions because they are so funny. What can I say, extreme fear of my heart exploding during vigorous exercise brings out my comedian side, I guess.

So yesterday, as always, I went to her office for the weigh-in. After some chatting about life and my nutrition, I stepped onto the scale. My goal was a 1 pound weight loss and I did it! Woop! My body fat percentage also went down 0.3%. I could have done better, but I didn't gain! Heyyyyy!

Then came the workout. She cheerfully described this as a fast-paced, body weight cardio circuit. For those of you that don't have regular workout routines, a circuit is the devil. You basically do one set of each exercise and then go back and do it all again. Here's how yesterday happened.

She called my first exericse "skips." Sounds friendly, right? Wrong-a-roo. She set a stool in front of me. It was the height of your run-of-the-mill step stool. Then I had to hop from foot to foot putting the foot that was up on the stool. One left, one right = one rep.

She had me start my workout with 100 of those bad boys.
Then 12 burpees.
Then 80 skips.
Then one legged push-ups.
Then 60 skips.
Then abs.
40 skips.
Another ab exercise
20 skips.
Oh... think we're done? Get some water and in the words of my trainer, 'you're really going to hate me. hahahah.'
From this point, I can't really remember the alternate exercises we did, so bear with me.

exercise.
40 skips.
something else.
60 skips.
another exercise
80 skips.
this one, I remember... she strapped me to a bungee cord and had me sprint low and hard towards a dumbbell, touch the dumbbell and then, in low squat position, run backwards. She explained to me that staying low was of utmost importance because she had another client break her wrist. Grand. I just get married in 32 days. Thanks, lady.
Then 100 skips.

If you were counting, you know I did 580 of these ridiculous skips. But, since both legs equalled one, I really did 1,160. Plus all that other stuff.

This morning, I was an achey mess. I did get up to do my p90x this morning, which was Plyometrics. But it wasn't at 100% because I was SORE. I still am. But, I did feel pretty good after I did it.

So let's back up to yesterday's pre-workout chat with my trainer. She was prepping me for the 100, 80, 60, etc. and she mentioned burpees. Somehow, and I'm not sure how, I challenged myself to do 80 burpees in one workout. WHAT IS WRONG WITH ME!? Why can't I just keep my mouth shut!? She wrote it in her notes, so I'll be doing that as part of my cardio day on Wednesday.

Additionally, I promised that for each comment, I would add 10 minutes to my workout. There were 6 comments on yesterday's entry. That means, I will be adding *cringe* 60 minutes to my workouts this week. Thanks, guys. I really didn't think that many people read what I have been writing!

To end, I will share a video that my friend, Erica shared with me. The perfect motivation for the day. Enjoy! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l-gQLqv9f4o