It's beginning to look a lot like 5 a.m.

My alarm went off at 5, then again at 5:30. The next few moments went a bit like this:

Brain: Get up and workout. 
Me: No.
Brain: Get up and workout. 
Me: No.
Oscar: EH!
Me: Crap.
Brain: Get up and workout.

So I got up, fed the fluffies and Goob, and realized I didn't have enough time to do my PiYo workout like I'd planned. Probably a good thing, since yesterday's workout was legs, and today's would have been lower body define. What did I do instead? Crunches, leg ups, push ups, and a plank. Not a ton, but better than nothing. Thankfully it's warm out (for December), so I plan to walk to my meeting in a couple hours. We're having a carry in for it, so I have to drag cookies with me, but I'll get steps in, my parking spot will remain mine, and it'll help me walk off the food I'll be eating at the meeting. 

I got more of a workout last night, as I had to make cookies for today, as well as dinner. Instead of sitting down during the 10 minutes it took the cookies to bake, I played with Oscar a bit. Lola is very much our Christmas kitty princess, just chilling out on the cat tower with the Christmas lights behind her. 

Such a pretty little lady.

Take two tomorrow morning for the PiYo. At least I got up at 5:30 as planned - I'm calling that in itself a win. More cookies to be made tonight for Thursday. Maybe I'll do the PiYo this evening instead, that way I still get it in. 

Happy Tuesday!

I'm still here!

I don't post as much to Facebook as I used to, primarily because my library career means more to me right now than my fitness business, but I got a kick in the head this morning that maybe, just maybe, some people were following me to get the motivation to workout themselves. I'm still not planning on putting my all into the fitness business, but I will try to put up more photos, keep up with this thing, and do better at being a good example. I may stumble, though, as we are coming up on the holidays, so I'm trying to get shopping done, projects at home and work wrapped up, and we're shifting traditions a bit this year since Grandma is having a knee replacement 10 days before Christmas. This puts more of the prep work on my mom, aunt, and myself, as we will be holding Christmas at mom's instead of Grandma's, so we now get to menu plan. I'm looking forward to the challenge, and it gives me even more gratitude toward the president of the university for giving us a full 2 weeks off, paid, from the campus. I'll definitely be using them! 

As far as my workouts go - I don't have any new photos to put up yet, Lauren has introduced me to the wonderful world of lifting. My dad has always been into weights, and worked out, but he got into a slump. I proposed an idea to him - I'd get him back into working out, in exchange for using his home gym, and we'd keep each other accountable. Awesome idea, he said, let's do it! So, every Monday we do upper body, every Thursday is lower body. If we had something else going on, instead of skipping the day entirely, we moved it, and I'm proud to say we haven't missed a Monday yet. We started at the end of September, so here are my stats for a month so far:

Before

And my stats as of last night:

3 weeks later

My numbers have gone up in some areas, an I actually started out with 50 pounds for deadlifts, I just had to do the last set with 25 (so I didn't mark it right - I need to change that). The 124 for calf raises was using just my body weight. 

What I need to get into more is the second part of the program. I had decided that on Tuesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, I would do PiYo for lower body, upper body, and core/buns respectively, with Saturday changing between core and buns. I've only done one night of it a few weeks ago, and then I fell back into doing nothing as soon as I got home. What I really need to do is get my butt out of bed and do it before I even go to work in the morning. This is tough, however, when you get up to pitch blackness. Maybe I can set it up to be up by 5 on Thursday. I did so well in summer, working out before work, and I slowly fell away from it as the days got shorter, chillier, and we put the fleece blankets on the bed. And more projects hit at work. All excuses, yes, but at least daddy is helping keep me accountable! Then there's my awesome husband, who pushes me into it whether I want to or not:

Get a support team. Find a workout you love. Remember that 80% of your results come out of the kitchen. Go kill the workout. I'm right behind you all the way!

Dreams and a revelation

I gave up on a dream today. I never give up on dreams - I may allow them to change and roll with them, but for the first time in my memory, I just flat gave up.

I went into the MLIS program thinking I'd become a digital librarian. That idea evolved into becoming an archivist, which I would still like to do, but the classes taught me that my heart lies with librarianship. I love the interaction with the patrons, the questions, the feeling of absolute triumph when I locate the answer. When I worked in public libraries, I loved the little kids telling me about books they had read, were interested in, or the excitement that was etched on their faces as they picked up a hold. I have an email that I printed out and stuck in my wallet; a patron thanking me for essentially doing my job, but what I had done - in her eyes - was help her nurture her son's new found love for a book series, which turned him into a reader. I carry this email to remind myself on the bad days why it is I do this, why I get up at 6 (ok, 6:30) every day to come open up a library and wait for the questions, or the requests for help in finding something.

Today, however, that email won't help me out. I graduated in August - the 16th, to be exact - with my Masters in Library and Information Science. The concentration was in archives, but I dabbled a little in some of the digital libraries courses. I didn't particularly care for my time at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, as the majority of instructors I came across seemed to not care, had a god/holier than thou complex, or were just too freaking hard to get in touch with. One instructor actually waited so long to grade anything in the class that he was way late turning grades in. The whole class wound up with a zero, and he had to appeal all our grades on our behalf, and turn them in 2 weeks late. I wound up with an A, but you can imagine the panic that ensued when I saw that 0 staring me in the face. UWM offers what is called a CAS - Certificate of Advanced Study. I may be a glutton for punishment to even consider it after cramming both a Bachelors and Masters into 4 years of hard studying, and to even think of getting it from one place I consider a bane of my existence, but they offer it in digital libraries. For a month, I considered it but told no one. For another month, I researched the cost and how many credit hours it would take to obtain this. Finally, this past Friday, I emailed my MLIS advisor with questions. She was able to answer a few, but referred the rest to this particularly snooty woman, who informed me of the following:

Chelsie,

The intent of the CAS programs, per the Graduate School catalog, is:

The Certificate of Advanced Study (CAS) in Digital Libraries is designed to help working professionals update their knowledge and develop specialty relating to the acquisition, organization and maintenance of digital content, virtual collections and services. It will enable students to either alter the direction of a career path or to enrich, update, and strengthen their skills and their knowledge of their field.

They were not developed with new MLS graduates in mind.  That said, we've had a number of students complete CAS coursework and get the certificate.  However, you cannot reduce the number of required credits with courses taken as part of the MLIS with the exception of one three credit course so you would need 12 credits.

Alex

The two sentences I have problems with in her response are "...designed to help working professionals...." and "They were not developed with new MLS graduates in mind." Here's why: I am a working professional. I am an academic librarian for Purdue University. I get up every morning and open the library at 8 sharp, and I don't go home until 5. Also, if this program was not developed for new MLS graduates in any way, shape, or form, then who was it developed for? Librarians that have been in the field for 5+ years? Oh wait! That's me! I've been in the library field, with a degree (be it Associates, Bachelors, or MLS) since August of 2010. 

So, why am I not fighting this tooth and nail? Because the tuition for all 4 classes (only one will transfer from my MLS) is around $13,000. Since it is only for a certificate, and not a degree, I can't get financial aid. I really don't want more financial aid piled on top of the mess we have to pay back for our other degrees, and it would take forever and a second job or two to pay for it out of pocket. If I'm going to be putting money like that toward something, it will be to kill off our current debt. Then there's the whole kid thing - we'll be officially trying to expand our family in July, and if there is one thing I was adamant about during the MLIS, it's that babies and homework don't mix well. So, knowing me and the fact that if I didn't do this now, I'd never do it, I'm giving up on it. Maybe I can find some on the job training of some sort to help quench this particular thirst in me. 

After all this, though, I don't feel bad about giving up on this particular dream. I have another to fill the void, and that's to have a family of my own, spending time with my husband without homework getting in the way. Thanks for the memories, UWM. I won't miss you. 

Here's to gains!

I've been meaning to write this post for a while, but kept putting it off.

My name is Chelsie, and I lift weights. I'm not a bodybuilder, but I am gaining muscle, lifting heavier, and loving the hell out of the pain of the gain!

In the past two weeks alone, I've moved up in weight - both in arms and legs. My dad has also been thanking me a lot for helping to keep him accountable by using him as my workout partner and trainer. We haven't missed a day in almost a month, and have started adding supplements to help in our progress.

In addition to weights, tonight I will be adding a few workouts from PiYo to the week, so the schedule will be:

Mondays - Upper body (this changes every other week)
Tuesdays - PiYo Define: Lower Body
Wednesdays - Rest
Thursdays - Lower body (this changes every other week)
Fridays - PiYo Define: Upper Body
Saturdays - PiYo Buns or Core (this changes every other week)
Sundays - Rest

Due to the work I'm doing now, my abs are already changing, my shoulders are more defined, and I'm starting to like the look of me better. Now, if I could just get back on a decent sleep schedule...

We need to get back to eating healthier again, too. Some family members came in from California last week, and we ate out at least one meal - sometimes two - every. single. day. My insides are so messed up, it's ridiculous, and I even tried picking healthier options off the menu. On the upside, we did get a ton of walking in last week, so that may have offset it a bit. Plus, my boss has given me and two of my coworkers a scavenger hunt of sorts to do around campus, to better help us get to know the lay of the land and buildings. On the two days that we worked on that (still have loads to go), we walked over 11,000 steps. Boy, were my legs feeling that! I can't wait to get back into that.

I'm in the best shape of my life, and I'm not just doing this for me. I'm doing this for my husband to have a slim and trim wife, and to be able to keep up with our future little ones, who should be created within the next 6 months to a year (so excited)!

That's all you get for now - I need to get back to work. I promise I'll try to check in more often.

Ch-ch-ch-changes!

If you had told me a few years ago that I would be eating peppers and enjoying them, I'd have told you that you were insane. I just polished off lunch, which was enchiladas and mixed veggies of red, orange, and green peppers, along with squash, zucchini, and mushrooms. I'm also just enjoying eating healthier in general. Amazing how much you don't miss junk when you don't eat it anymore. I still get a craving for things every now and then - on the way to Mississippi, it was donuts, so we swung by MaryLou's on the way out of town. We got 2 donuts each, and I couldn't eat all of the second one because it was just too much sugar.

In other news, daddy and I teamed up to keep each other accountable. Mondays are for upper body, Thursdays are for legs. Below is what we're doing as far as exercises per day. My shoulders and triceps are not happy with me today, but they'll look all the better for it. They look pretty good now, but they'll be killer in a few months!

I took a photo last night before working out, and noticed this morning that it's been a little over a year and a half since I started this journey. I totally blame Lauren, as she is way more into this than I ever was, but I got bitten by the fitness bug after I started seeing results. I have fallen off the wagon a few times, and had to climb back on, but I made it back on and didn't stay with the unhealthy lifestyle I was addicted to - and it is an addiction. One perpetuated by society, but that's another rant for another time (looking at you, McDonald's). Where was I going with this? ....Oh yeah! So it's been a little over a year and a half, and as I typed my stats from last night into the worksheet above (yes, those are my actual numbers - the 124 is a body weight exercise), I decided to see what a year and a half progression looks like. Ready for this? It's pretty awesome, if I do say....

BOOM! Look at what 19 months of eating better and getting off my butt did! I HAVE OBLIQUES!!! Who knew, right? By the way, I would be smiling in the photo on the right had it not been for trying to focus on getting a good photo. That was a second attempt shot, as the first one was no bueno. I also got tons of compliments at the wedding we went to 10 days ago. It was Mississippi, so even though it's a dry heat, it was still hot, and I packed a dress I hadn't worn in almost 5 years. It is a satin dress, and even though it is patterned, it doesn't leave much to what is hidden beneath it - it shows every curve, every dimple, every flaw. 

Not only was I able to hold it up on my own (yea for chest exercises!), but I was also more comfortable in it. It's nice to feel comfortable in your own skin. The bride is Amanda - Zach's cousin - and she rocked her dress pretty fabulously as well. We were fanning her because she rarely left the dance floor, so she was in need of a cooling break. 

I'm back with a vengeance! Gotta get this body in its best possible shape before baby. I may even try jogging again. Who knows. I gotta get my shins in shape first, though - shin splints suck like crazy. 

Ok, I now return you to your regularly scheduled Tuesday. Just wanted to check in.

Here's to new beginnings!

I raise my water glass as I say this. No, we're not pregnant. I have been on a bit of a workout hiatus, especially with a rash of crimes that have gone on not only on campus at work, but also within our own neighborhood. I haven't been taking my walks, and I haven't been doing my workouts. That changes today.

Since the break-in at our home last week, I have begun looking for a martial arts course to try and help keep myself safe - plus, it's a wicked good workout. Doing Body Combat has shown me that I like boxing and other forms of martial arts, and it has sculpted my shoulders, stomach, and whittled my waistline. After spending an hour or so at the gym with Lauren a few weeks back, I found I also wanted to look more into weight lifting. My dad has also mentioned wanting to get back into working out, and I decided to kill two birds with one stone - he has a ton of equipment in his basement that I could use for free, and by working out with him, it keeps us both accountable. Genius! He works out twice a week - Mondays are upper body, Thursdays are lower body. Once I find a karate class, I can fit that in as well, and use the off days for yoga or pilates - a working stretch of sorts to keep the soreness to a minimum. We start tonight, and our first session together is this evening. I also plan to start getting my lunch break walks in again, especially while the weather is nice. I'm so excited!

For those that read this and think "Oh goodness, she's going to be all muscle-y and bulk up!" Think again. If I went hardcore with drugs to help, then maybe. But this is to gain strength and slim down. I'm already slim, I can already rock 90% of the outfits in my closet, but this is to rock my bare skin. Plus, this should help me get back into shape after baby in a few years. Lauren gave me a taste of weight training a few weeks ago, and now I'm hooked. The fact that I have a free gym and an awesome workout buddy available to me also helps, and I know when dad can't workout for some reason, I can always count on Lauren to let me tag along and help spot. 

I now return you to your regularly scheduled Thursday. I gotta go refill my water cup. 

Need a Mulligan

Bloating. Gas. Stomach pains. Lethargy. Crankiness. A general feeling of unwellness.

I had all this from Thursday through last night, and the lethargy is still with me. Not as bad as it was, but when you eat Arby's, Subway, Wendy's, Arby's, Subway, and Cracker Barrel for your main meals (plus two days of warmed up plastic for free hotel breakfast), you get to feeling crappy. My water intake also took a nosedive.

I've just polished off my shake, and refilled my 24 ounce water cup. It's time to get back on track. Now that the jerks that have been breaking into houses in our neighborhood have been caught, I may also go for a walk tonight. I'll definitely be going grocery shopping tonight, so I can get my steps in that way if need be.

I have had this hankering (I just had a weekend vacation in Mississippi, so yes, hankering) to get back into my Body Combat DVDs, along with searching for martial arts classes. I think this weekend helped get me to the point of wanting to workout more, as several people complimented me on my dress and my progress - my favorite being my father-in-law when he said "I'm trying to be as PC about this as possible, since it's coming from your dad-in-law, but you are rocking that dress! You can tell you've been working hard to get where you are. There, that sounds better than 'Damn, girl!' right?" Either way, Dad, I'll take the compliment, thanks!

The last time I wore this dress was the week after our wedding, when we went to a friend's wedding. I couldn't hold it up quite as well, and I didn't fill it out quite as well. I don't have a photo to prove it, so you'll just have to trust me. Now, if I could just get my eyes to cooperate, and I could have contacts again...

This was us on our wedding day almost 5 years ago. I don't know about you, but I can tell a difference. I stand up straighter, my arms are more toned, and my chest is thrust forward more (due in part to better posture). Zach's gotten hotter with age, too. I miss my long hair, but that's slowly coming back. 

Anyway, we're getting back on track today with our eating. Even Zach said he felt blah the last few days. Amazing how a few minor changes can screw up a person - or heal them! Even an upcoming girls night is going to be nothing but healthy dining, as Lauren (who is the lady of honor) has requested enchiladas, so we'll be doing those with a squash/pepper/pea/zucchini/mushroom stirfry, and healthy(ish) brownies on Saturday. I love it when two of my passions come together! Cooking has become so much more fun since we started eating healthier. It's almost like a game finding new healthy recipes. 

OK, I need to get back to work! Stay beautifully you, and don't give up on whatever it is you want in life. 

Changes

I was raring to go the other day, got off on a good start and then - WHAM! - struck down by a UTI. It seems like every time I really get going, I get sick. BUT, I have kept up with my workouts, so at least I'm still on track. Tired, but on track.

I finally went to the doctor and got meds, too, so I don't feel near as bad as I did, and we caught it before it became a kidney infection, so there's that. The only thing I'm behind on are my book club readings, and my daily Bible reading - I'm almost a full book behind in that area. I'm hoping to remedy the book club readings over my lunch today, and the Bible readings throughout the evenings the rest of the week. I'm stuck in Numbers right now, and finding it hard to get through.

Anyway, this blog is about working out, not reading. On Sunday, while waiting for dad and his friends to finish up working on a friend's Jeep in the garage, I asked Zach to help me with my sit ups by holding my feet down. We made it fun by kissing each other on each rep up, so it made the 30 sit ups not feel like such a chore. I even did push ups in the same manner, just for fun. I also found a motivation photo and put it on my phone. There is nothing more motivational, though, then hitting your goals, and I did just that when I tried on the dress I'll be wearing this weekend for a wedding we're going to.

We are going to Mississippi this weekend for Zach's cousin's wedding, and I'm hoping the hotel has a gym in it so we can work out a little while we're there. I love spending time with his family, but we do a lot of eating and drinking when we're together, so I always feel like I took an off weekend when we meet up. It's a 9 hour drive from where we live down there, too, so walking would definitely help work out the kinks from sitting all that time.

So, some changes I'm making in my own life are these:
I would like to be closer to Christ, and I've been trying for a while to be a more positive person, as no one likes being around negativity all the time. That gets boring, quick. I have made it my goal to put up one positive post a day, as well as one blog post chronicling my workout journey, and one faith post. Otherwise, I'm hoping to stay off of Facebook. I'd like to read more, crochet more, and just do more of what I enjoy. In doing so, I have to get off of the social media. Today's positive post is up, this is today's blog post, and after lunch I'll post the faith post. Happy Tuesday!

Mind over matter

I went to bed last night with a full on UTI, and didn't get much sleep. I decided this morning to hit up the pharmacy for cranberry pills to try and help kick this, and found CVS was closed, so I drove down to the next light where Walgreens was - bingo, they had them, and were open at 7 (CVS's hours were 8)! Got those, found halfway clear traffic to work, got a good spot, and it's been pretty steady since then. My coworker, however, apparently hasn't had a good morning, and her mood started rubbing off on me. I'm already fatigued and a bit achy from the UTI, but I'm trying to work past that, as the students don't need to know what is going on with me personally, and they expect good service from their librarians.

I told Tonya that it appeared to be one of those days. As she went in search of her caffeine fix, I realized my day started out pretty well, with just a few minor hiccups. I made it to work just a few minutes late in my jaunt to find medical relief, but that was really my only hang up today. I got my workout in this morning, even though I got up late. I have managed to help 4 patrons with what they needed this morning, and gotten 2 ILL's on their way, so the only problem is the negativity that Tonya is giving off. I decided that I'm not going to let that get to me. I'll continue on with my plans for today, which do not include a bad mood.

People may tell me I'm cracked, and that may well be true. In my journey of trying to be a more positive person, I have found that a positive mindset can make or break your day. Feeling the twinge of worked muscle soreness also helps, but I'm returning to my 'no pain, no gain' junkie self. If you don't believe me, feel free to go talk to Don Fitzgerald, who happens to be one of the most positive people I know - I strive to be more like him each day, looking on the bright side of things. Awesome, awesome guy - if you don't know him, you're missing out on a wonderful guy that's full of life!

Make your decision for the day. Is it going to be a good day? I hope so.

Well lookie there...

In another 10 minutes, I will have been awake for 5 hours. Huh, whodathunk.

I set the radio last night to go off at 5:30, along with my alarm, but I was already slowly waking up on my own when the radio turned on. I laid there and listened to three songs, then got up and put on a tshirt, used the restroom, and did my 10 second wall sit. Lola went with me out to the family room to do my sit ups, crunches, plank, and leg raises. Drank my shake and got to take a leisurely shower, put makeup on, dried my hair, and played with the kitties a little.

I had enough time to run my library books back to the library on my way to work, and decided to keep up the momentum - I parked in the garage a quarter mile down the road from my office. I got the library opened a few minutes early, and have been productive ever since! If the rain holds off, I plan on going for a walk. I have already guzzled 24 ounces of water and am just now opening my coffee mug. I don't necessarily need it right now, but for the project I'm about to tackle, it may come in handy. I hear it's tedious.

Want to play along with me on these challenges? My thought is to do these in the morning, then my body combat in the evening.

Abs are one of my problem areas, and I want to build my core before babies come along - I hear a strong core helps with pushing kids out faster. I'm all for having our mini me not being stuck in that area any longer than they have to be, as labor and delivery sound painful - let's get it over with and on to recovery and loving the kid forever. If you're going to follow along with me, today was day one. I'm hoping to find something to tuck my feet under for the sit ups, as my feet kept coming off the floor.

Have a good Tuesday!

Getting back on track

I know a week or so ago I posted about getting back on track. Guess what? I fell off the wagon again. I had my boudoir shoot, then let myself have a week off as a "Woo! We did it!!" treat to myself. That week turned into 2, which turned into 3, which turned into a month. Lauren kicked me in the proverbial pants the other night, and said - essentially - that I have fallen back to my old ways to the point that she's afraid I won't revert back. It gave me the push I needed to decide to get back on track, and that night - after a glass of Moscato, a couple brownies, and some girl talk - we went to the gym. Two days later, my abs STILL hurt, and I had a migraine to go with it, so I took a weekend to recover from my workout and my migraine (anyone who has ever had one of those can attest to the fact that the day after the migraine is almost as much to recover from as the migraine itself, as those nasty bastards just drain everything out of you).

When I was in my prime on this workout thing, I was getting up at 5:30 every morning and working out, then spending my lunch break walking around campus. With the students back, walking campus isn't as easy as it sounds, and we've had a humid heatwave show up, so I shelved walking until I got home - and then someone broke into the two houses next door. My feeling of security flew out the window, and as soon as I got home, I practically barricaded myself in the house.

Going back to when I walked, though, I had a Garmin Vivofit that counted my steps. I quickly learned why I should have stuck with a clip pedometer, as if I was carrying something and not swinging my arm, it wouldn't count my steps. I'm a gold star, need recognition kind of gal, so this wasn't working for me. I put in the effort, I should get credit for what I did! I took the little pedometer out of its wristband, and put it in my pocket - and then forgot to sync it, so I was getting credit on the pedometer, but not on the chart. This wasn't working for me. I went to Amazon and bought a Fitbit Zip. It's green, so it matches my headphones and my little flipbelt thing, it syncs on its own with my cell phone app, and it clips on my body, so it counts all my steps. I have named it Frank, and we had a lovely weekend together.

Frank the Fitbit

I realized on Wednesday, during my meeting with Monica, that I had forgotten my water bottle for what felt like the 100th time in a week, so I went ahead and bought a water cup to keep at the office. Now I have no excuse to forget my water.

Isn't it pretty? I don't even need ice, because it's insulated, so it keeps the water cold on its own. Score! If there's one thing I hate, it's room-temp water. Blah.

I totally forgot that I have two meetings this morning, so I didn't wear tennis shoes like I should have for the half mile jaunt from my office to the building where the meeting is. More of a workout, I guess, as I'll be doing it in flip flops. 

Speaking of which, I gotta get back to prepping for these meetings, but I'm slowly coming back. I plan to force myself to workout tonight, and if Zach comes home early enough, I may try to talk him into a walk. I'm even planning on getting myself back on track to the point where I can use the gym at our hotel next weekend before we go to his cousin's wedding. Hopefully they have an elliptical or something. I'll have to check when I get back from these meetings!

Happy Tuesday!

There's more to fitness than exercise

I'd like to say I've been taking a hiatus to work on personal development or something snazzy like that, but that would be a lie. I haven't been working out because I hit a lazy streak, and I'm running with it. The one area I'm not lazy in at the moment is our finances. We have GOT to get out of debt - or at least lower it a lot - before kids come in the next (hopefully) year or two, as those little munchkins are expensive in their own right.

I took a step a few weeks ago that at least got us on the map to the right track, and bought Dani Johnson's "War on Debt" program. I watched the DVD, took notes, and decided Zach and I would do this together! Well, life always likes to toss a wrench into the best laid plans, so I'm basically flying solo and telling him what we are going to do. Rule one is to find all the unnecessary spending in your budget, so I did that this afternoon. Last night, I did step two, and listed all our debt in order from lowest to highest amount and made a pretty killer little chart, if I do say.

This morning, I went through and created this awesomeness:

Now, I separated ours out like this because all of our school loans and a few other bills are on an autopay set up through our bank. The other monthly bills category is a guesstimate rounded up to the nearest pretty looking even number (no change), based on last month's bills (Vectren will go up come winter, as that's our gas bill). I probably flubbed when I totaled our savings total with the bills in the monthly outgoing, but I figure it's leaving our checking account for another account, so it counts as an expenditure in my book, as I can't use it to pay down the debt. I also didn't add in our retirement savings to this (bad, me!), basically because I forgot. There's so much to go through! 

That last column - "fat" - that is unnecessary spending, and boy, do we know how to do it. Friday lunch out with my dad has turned into not such a bad thing, as dad has said he'll buy my lunch if I drive - but my gas is still being used. 

I'm really hoping to get a second job soon, to get the loans in order and get rid of the credit cards, but we also need to ditch the coffee (especially since we have a coffee pot at home, and Zach has the K-cup thingies at work), eating out (I pride myself on my cooking), and the shopping. I really didn't need some of the stuff (yarn) that I bought over that weekend. Although a few things in the shopping category was a one time thing for the photoshoot I had a few weeks ago, like a mani/pedi and tanning. I never tan, and I almost always do my own nails. 

If you want to know Dani Johnson's 'War on Debt', I put the link above. I'm not going to give the woman's secrets away, but I will tell you the strategy is so simple, it's ridiculous, and it's only $100, so it's way cheaper than that Ramsey guy. 

I'm still here

After our team call last night, I realized I haven't written one of these in a while. The fact that Lauren brought it up during our team call really hit it home.

My name is Chelsie, and I need a break. Welcome to the human side of me. I'm not go go go all the time. I just graduated with my Masters degree, and other than a year in between my last Associates and my Bachelors, I have been going to school since mom enrolled me in Kindergarten back in 1990. In case you don't want to do the math, that's 24 years of school. TWENTY-FOUR YEARS. If you think it sounds like a long time, try living it. It sucked - the outcome was great, but the first 4 years of our marriage was "Do you have homework tonight? When is your paper due? Would your parents mind if I used their computer - this is due while we'll be at their house, and the professor hasn't opened it yet." Thank God I married an awesome guy, and he not only put up with it, but encouraged me to follow my dreams.

SO, in the words of Ron White, I told you that story to tell you this story. I'm taking a much needed break from everything. I'm reading things I want to read, crocheting because I finally have time, spending time with my awesomely amazing husband and trying to make up for lost time. I actually get to watch TV now, although I couldn't find anything good last night, so I wound up watching a documentary on Marie Curie. (Fun fact I learned, Marie is the one who found the element Polonium, and since it was unnamed, she named it for her mother country of Poland - she was an expat living in France.)

I do intend to continue working out - I'll be restarting Cize tonight - and posting things about that on Facebook. Since I feel like I've been constantly going since the dawn of time, however, I will be taking time for ME. We all need that, sometimes, and now is mine.

Feel free to keep following me, reading up on my exercise journey, and know that I'm still cheering you on, even if I'm currently on the couch with a book or my crochet project.

With graduation over, just waiting on my diploma to come in the mail, I'm kind of like Muffin up there - trying to find my purpose in life again, since all I've known for the past 4.5 years is being a student. Bear with me - I'm a work in progress.

Revvin' it up!

I'm finally almost over this stupid cold, so I can finally get back to working out - and just in time. I just booked my boudoir photoshoot from two weeks from today! Holy cow, talk about going into hyper overdrive. I have to pick out the outfits for this thing, continue to get my workouts in, get my nails done - aaaaaahhhhh!!!!!! Cue stress and a bit of a panic attack, as this is completely outside my comfort zone, but something I want to do for both Zach and I. I want to drive him crazy, and I want to be able to look back down the road and be able to say "I was HOT! And here's the proof!"

Today I have to finish off the rest of the Body Combat - only 45 minutes of that left for phase one, then do the workout for the Change It Up Challenge that Sondra started, and my own workout for the Little Black Dress Challenge I started today. Cize has been backed off until next Monday, so I'll be doing two workouts a day for about a week, three for a week, then back down to two. I promise to stop if I start to feel pain or a little off - I learned from that last time with my shoulder. Luckily, the LBD challenge isn't that terrible, just three to four moves a day, with a rest day every 4 days. Cize is just dancing, so it shouldn't be too bad. As long as I keep my food intake on track, I should be fine with all this.

In order to follow along with my workout, I'm planning to up my nutrition shake intake, and cut all junk. That's right, no Blizzards for me for a month. The only time I'm allowing myself to splurge is on August 15th, when we have my graduation party. I will only be graduating with a MLIS once, so I might as well make it count!

For the next two weeks, this is going to be my mantra more than usual. Time to kick some tail in the gym! Only 30 more minutes of work, and I'm there! Who's with me?

Bragg'in

I haven't kept up with my workouts this week, but only because I came down with a nasty cold. My throat hurt Monday and Tuesday, my fever broke Wednesday, and now I'm in the stages of coughing my lungs up. I'm pretty sure I have Lauren to thank for the speedy recovery, as she told me Tuesday to pick up a bottle of Bragg's Apple Cider Vinegar and try that to help cut the cold in half - and boy, has it. I've been drinking 1 tablespoon in 8 ounces of water twice a day since Tuesday, and it's speeding my recovery like crazy. We'll see how I feel when I get home, but I think I should be able to do my last two workouts tonight and tomorrow, just in time to start Cize on Monday!

I have done some light working out while sick so at least I could mark off my versions of Plyo and Power. I just have a round each of 45 and 60 to get through to be done with part one of Body Combat. A round of Cize will come next, then part two of Body Combat, a round of Turbo Fire, and then the final round of Body Combat. August brings my photo shoot for boudoir photos, so I have to kick the next few weeks into high gear to become my very best me!

Moral of the story, don't push yourself when you're sick, as you need rest. Try the Bragg's (thanks, Lauren!) remedy to get better faster, and push the fluids. I need to get back to work. Lots to do today!

Just another day in paradise...

My brain has been on a push to lie to me today. I woke up and just felt fat, unmotivated, and my motivation to do much of anything today has been in the crapper. I had a fired up temper yesterday - just ask Zach, and my acne has flared up enough to make me reminisce not so fondly about my pre-teen years. I'm tired, and on a probably unrelated note, my throat hurts. Any woman that just read all that knows it is more than likely the onslaught of a visit from Aunt Flo. Thanks to going on month 3 of being off birth control, I don't know if that's what this is, or if my hormones are going on a carnival ride. Either way, it needs to stop.

I did get up and force myself to workout this morning, and I have had 24 ounces of water. I made healthy eating choices to pack for my lunch and snacks, and I have keep reminding myself what it is that I'm making for dinner tonight. And to nuke lunch. I also have homework that needs doing....and if I sneeze one more time, I swear I'm going to remove my own nose.

Anyway, I got up and worked out this morning, and I got my shake in (woo!), and I'm still making healthy choices, even though it's taking everything in me to not run down the hall and get a MilkyWay out of the little cafe.

The main reason I'm doing this is because I know that eating that candy bar will put me on a downward spiral. I know if I hadn't worked out this morning, I wouldn't do it tonight, either, even though I would say I would. Besides, today started my final week of round one of Body Combat. 

No, brain, the body you're attached to is not fat; it's lovely and slim. It's a little more plump today and the jeans are a bit tighter due to what I can only assume is water weight gain. You don't need that chocolate covered caramel bliss, especially since there are mini versions in the library candy dish. By the way, go eat your lunch. Stop trying to make me feel out of sorts, and while we're at it - hormones! Get it together, ya sluts!

Motivator

It's been a strange week. I worked out on Sunday, again on Monday, and during my Monday workout I heard and felt my shoulder go *POP!* Idiot that I am, I kept going until my workout was done, I just took it down a few notches. I should have stopped altogether, but no, so now I'm having slight shoulder pain. I decided that this wouldn't stop me - my arm is what's tender, not my legs, so I can still get my walks in! I made it almost 4 miles yesterday, a little over 11,000 steps. Tonight I'm going with my boss to Miracles Fitness to give that a go. We'll see what all it entails.

A friend of mine - ok, a few friends of mine - went to Dani Johnson's First Steps to Success a few weeks ago and brought back some awesome information. They've challenged themselves to be content with what they have, putting to use the things they already have at home and not purchasing frivolous things. Even the food in the kitchen is being used up completely before they buy more. I liked this idea, so I decided to take the challenge as well. Our grocery list is getting long, but we still have food at home that could be used. It makes for a very interesting attempt at making dinner. The other day, I laid out two chicken breasts to thaw. When I got home, I chopped them up, put them in a casserole dish, and added the last of the frozen mixed vegetables, and a mixture of cream of mushroom soup and sour cream to it, baked it for 20 minutes, then added cornbread mix to the top and popped that back in the oven for another 20 minutes. The result was amazing. Like a chicken pot pie without the bottom crust. Zach loved it so much that I figured out about what the measurements were for everything, and wrote it in my recipe book to make again later. I hope to do something similar tonight, but I didn't thaw anything out, so we'll see what I come up with. There's a lot of deer meat in the freezer that I'm not entirely sure what it is, so I'll have to try and work with that.

I have been putting off writing this all week. I love writing, I love the likes and comments this page gets, but if I'm not in the mood to write, it just isn't going to happen. Last night, I got a call from a friend of mine, and before we hung up the phone, she said "Keep writing, keep posting - you're motivating me to be better and healthier!" Maybe those weren't her exact words, but it's the gist. I practically floated off my chair with joy, as my ultimate goal is to be an example for someone else, and I have achieved it. It's also just what I needed to hear to ramp back up again. I love knowing that what I'm doing isn't just helping me to be better and healthier, but others are taking notice and making changes to make themselves healthier, too. It's such an awesome feeling! It also pushed me to email dad and ask if I can use his weight equipment. I want to do a few weeks of weight lifting before I start round two of Body Combat, really get some strength in to rock the second round! 

So for those who use this as a motivator, good! For those who think this is just a phase I'm going through, those that think I'm on a diet, those that think I'll quit when I'm done - I've got news for you. This isn't just a phase, it's a lifestyle change. This isn't a diet, because diets are short term answers to long term problems, and they don't work. I'm not quitting. In fact, I'm not going anywhere - I have a new goal, and it's to motivate the haters. 

Bring on your worst. You're in my territory now. 

Genius strikes and sexy legs

I should have written this a few days ago, but I wasn't in the writing mood, so here I stand, in front of my stove, typing this up on my phone as the ground beef browns.

I may not have gotten up everyday at 5 like I wanted, but I definitely got my workout in everyday this week. I'm hoping to improve that next week. I also learned that taking a rest day during the week, for me, is not a good idea, so I'm going to rearrange the rest of the workout schedule so I go Monday thru Friday, and rest on the weekends. I'm also learning that to eat healthier, I need to go grocery shopping once a week, not once a month, and buy fresher ingredients. That will be changing soon.

In the meantime, I'm seeing more results! Dan and Rachel of Body Combat aren't kidding when they say the kicks in this program will give you a nonsurgical butt lift or chisel your legs. I am, as of my shower this morning, wearing an item of clothing I purchased 9 years ago and barely ever wore. I never wore it because I didn't like my legs. They were flabby, yet lanky - twigs with cellulite poking out from beneath me. My upper legs still have a ways to go, but my calves look awesome, and so while trying to figure out what to wear today, I pulled out...my mini skirt.

Amazing, I know. You think that is good, you should see my legs. I don't have a before photo, so it wouldn't tell you much, but they look good enough that I'm ok with showing them off. And yes, in the photo, I am standing on tiptoe. Unfortunately, we don't own a full length mirror, but this is something I plan to remedy.

Since I have upgraded my water intake, I have determined that although it is more refreshing than soda, and I feel better, it is getting boring to drink it constantly without variation. Today, I had a stroke of genius - I like flavored water, and I had bought lemons and limes when I went to the store last, so I chopped a few up into quarters and popped one lime quarter and one lemon quarter into the ice cube tray, then added hot water and let it sit for a minute to draw some of the flavor out of the fruit. It's going in my water bottle, so it will add flavor and can't water anything down. 

If nothing else, I think it looks pretty. I also have a pitcher of green tea with lemon, lime, and mint steeping out on the deck - Heaven knows it's hot enough out there for it to brew without hot water. Green tea has no calories and wickedly awesome health benefits, so it'll be a good switch on occasion from just water. Ah, this healthy lifestyle is so awesome! 

When your brain is finally on board

I woke up this morning a bit disoriented, wondering what in the world that noise was, and then I realized it was my alarm. Hit snooze, fell back into a good sleep, and woke up again 10 minutes later to both the alarm and a Lola standing with both front paws digging into my bladder. Hmm, she must be hungry...
I figured I'd get up and feed her, then come back to bed and o my workout tonight, but after laying back down for a few minutes, I got too hot and couldn't get comfortable. Finally at 5:30, I sucked it up and got up. Fine, I'll workout now!

So glad I did, as that's an hour of sweating I won't have to do later. Plus, whenever I workout in the morning, I start it with a glass of water, then pour a second to drink while working out. I'm now 18 ounces in, and my goal is for 62 ounces. My only problem now is that I decided not to drink coffee except on the weekends, and I'm pretty sure I could fall asleep at my desk. It really doesn't help that I have some really boring articles to read for class soon.

One of my girlfriends is at Summit this week in Tennessee, and I am so jealous! Not just because she gets to workout with some awesome big name trainers, but because she gets to be in my 2nd all time favorite state. Most people love the beach, I have an intense love affair with the mountains. ANYWAY, it got me thinking - wondering - how early does everyone at Summit have to get up in order to get some food in them before going and doing these workouts all day? I don't know the answer to it, but I did a fitness no-no today when I worked out on an empty stomach. I generally chug half a glass of water, half my shake, then refill the water glass and get to it, alternating between drinking water and my shake depending on what my stomach tells me I need while getting my workout in. Today it was all water, and I didn't even make my shake until my hour workout was complete. Am I going to get results from this workout? Yes, but not as good as if I'd had something on my stomach. I went to bed at 10 and got up at 5, which means I had already gone 7 hours without food, then worked out for an hour on top of it with only water in me. That's like going an entire workday without eating, yet still moving around. Not a good plan, as your body needs fuel in order to get stuff accomplished. I also ate breakfast at my desk, and I didn't get to work until 7:50, so there's another almost 2 hours without something substantial - not a good idea.

This gives more scientific info on the subject, but the main point is that the body needs to be fueled in order to function properly. It's no wonder I'm so tired - I depleted an empty body. Not a good plan, and not a mistake I plan to repeat.

Would you look at that

7:05, and I am on it! Coffee is made, dinner is in the crockpot, showered, lunch packed, one glass of water in me, and I'm sitting here eating breakfast. I'm still tired from a long night of storms, but I'm doing pretty well otherwise. I didn't get up early enough to do Combat 60, but I did get my version of the Plyo workout in this morning, so that's something. Even got Zach up so he can get to work earlier. I'm hoping to have him up at 5:30 tomorrow so he can get used to getting up earlier and heading in earlier. I'm getting a little tired of eating dinner at 9 pm, especially when this could easily be remedied. Plus, once the overtime work shuts down, he can go into the gym instead of work. Or work and then the gym. Either way, we can both be healthier.

I'm hoping the rain stays away, as I have a meeting to walk to at 10, and I'd rather not arrive drenched. At least I can get my steps in, and I'm only taking my phone and the voice recorder used to take notes, so as long as the weather holds, I'm planning on taking the long route back so I can get my steps in today. It's rained so much, I haven't had a chance to go for as many walks as I'd like to.

Finish breakfast, and off to work!

Shake It Off!

Happy Monday! I usually hate Mondays, but this one is going to be AWESOME! I didn't get up at 5 like I wanted, but I did roll out of bed at 6, and got my workout done. I didn't do Saturday's official workout, but the two HIIT workouts in Body Combat (Power and Plyo) make my knees hurt and almost all my joints pop, so I have taken the gist of what they do and modified them a bit. I'm still doing a similar workout, but with less pain. Power involves weights, and the work the arms, chest, and back, so I did that this morning minus the DVD. Plyo is a lot of jumping around (ski squats, running lunges, burpees, etc.), so on Plyo days, I do jumping jacks, squats, lunges, and as many burpees as I can do without my knee trying to pop out of place. I'm an 80 year old in a 29 year old's body, with 60 year old knees. Gotta modify, but still get it in.

So, why is my Monday going to be awesome? I got my workout in, shake in me, showered, and dressed, all before 7:30. The radio was playing good music, and when I got into my truck, my iPod played even better music. My Pandora station is currently playing MY song - Fight Song by Rachel Platten - AND I was able to make it to the library to drop off my book, and still make it to work on time. BOOM! At the moment, I'm the only person in the library - other than the two workers upstairs, but they're turning what used to be the ITaP lab into office space. I have my list made up for what I have to get done today, and am working on getting it done for the rest of the week. Barely 8:30, and I've already been more productive than most mornings. Since the Power workout was supposed to be Saturday's workout, I plan to go home and do Combat 60, and then I'll be back on track!

So, getting up early, listening to awesome music, and getting your workout in before work is what makes for a good Monday. I refuse to let this mood go away, as I'm loving this. I think going to church yesterday had a lot to do with my mood today, too. It's nice to be back in a church family that doesn't worry about technology, still sings the old hymns, and reads and preaches directly from the Bible.

I think I've gone insane

Where to start...I worked my butt off this week, and very much literally. I took Monday and Tuesday off, then did Monday and Tuesday's workouts on Wednesday, did Wednesday's workout on Thursday and went to Zumba with Lauren. I was so sore on Friday that I skipped that workout until Saturday, when I did the modified version. I'm claiming Zumba in place of plyo for Saturday's workout, as I'm still a bit sore, and my knee wasn't liking me much.

Tomorrow is a new week with no skips. After church today, I took the afternoon to work on some personal development, and finished reading "Living Well, Spending Less: 12 Secrets to the Good Life" by Ruth Soukup. I took lots of notes, and there are some changes she mentioned in the book that I plan on making. The rest of the afternoon will be spent going over the coming homework for next week, as I'm 1 week down, 5 to go til graduation.

I have begun the necessary work to become a morning workout person, and when I did workout in the mornings this past week, I felt much more at ease with the day. I'm hoping to start getting up at 5 instead of 5:30, so that not only can I get in my morning workout, but I might have 30 minutes with my Bible every morning before trotting off to work. I'm also planning on making a list when I get to work, sorting out how my day will go and making sure to check as much off my list as possible. I already do this for the week, but now I'm going to incorporate a daily list. Hopefully it'll help me get myself straightened out and be more productive.

We'll see how all this plays out. I'm very hopeful that I'll be victorious!

Happiness abounds!

How many libraries can you walk into and find your librarian singing at her desk? Today, you can do this at mine, as I'm sitting here singing along to Ed Sheeran and anyone else who comes along the Pandora station. Why am I singing? Because I'm happy! That, and Ed Sheeran is quickly becoming one of my favorite artists - a hot ginger with a voice of an angel! Plus, his song "Thinking Out Loud" never fails to make me think very lovingly of my wickedly awesome husband.

Why am I so happy, you may be wondering. I'm sitting at work of all places! I'll tell ya - I have gotten up two days in a row and worked out before coming to work, and yesterday, I worked out when I got home. Yesterday held doing Combat 60 in the morning, HIIT: Power in the evening, a few chest/arm weight exercises, and then I went for a 3 mile walk! I woke up sore today, but feeling awesome - and then I hit play on Combat 45! I've got two glasses of water in me, plus my shakeo, and getting ready to treat myself to some coffee. I've also managed to keep the energy up to get 3 ILL's done for work. Today is turning out to be pretty wicked so far, and it's only just begun! I also get to face one of my fears later today, and go to a group workout when I meet up with Lauren and some other lovely ladies to go to a Zumba class this evening. I keep trying to remind myself that it'll be awesome whether I triumph or fail, just because I'll get to wear my new "Meet you at the gym" shirt.

The other reason I'm happy is that I'm seeing some awesome changes. Don't believe me? I'll show you! The first photo is from April 2014, the second from June 2015, and the third from today.

April 2014

June 2015

July 9, 2015

I didn't take a side view this morning, but in April of last year, I had decided to start this fitness journey. Then one of my worst semesters of my academic career happened, and I decided I didn't care about health and fitness, I just wanted to survive this school stuff. I let myself go, and had to buy the next size up in jeans (I went up to a 7, which may not be a big number to some, but it bothers me). I wasn't healthy, I was having constant headaches - some that were terrible, others that were just slight, nagging pains. I was always tired, and when I went to bed, I couldn't sleep well. Finally, around February, I started drinking the nutrition shakes again. By March, I was researching clean eating recipes, and in April, I started stocking the fridge and pantry with healthy food. I also bought and started Body Combat, but fell away from it after a few weeks - finals struck again, and I just couldn't get back into it. Then Lauren told me to become a discount coach to knock some money off the price of the shakes. I don't know what, but something about signing up again gave me the kick I needed to put this into full gear. I started working out again, and feeling better. My headaches are almost non-existent now, but some of that is genetic, so I'll never be totally rid of them. I also ditched my birth control after reading the stats on how many women on the NuvaRing had aneurysms and other health issues due to blood clots that formed in veins and arteries. Scary stuff! I bought a Garmin pedometer, and started walking more in December last year, and I've hit 10,000 steps twice in owning it - almost did it again last night, actually. I'm seeing changes, I'm feeling way better, and just generally becoming healthier. 

It also helps, I think, that I've essentially pruned some things in my life. The majority of negativity is gone, just by unfriending or unfollowing the people on facebook that would post negative things or just things that would irritate me. I've also taken a lot of things off my phone (no more games!) and made it harder for people to get in contact with me unless it's calling or texting. I've also decided my phone won't be looked at or used after 9 pm, so it goes on vibrate and on the charger, and I generally go to bed. Just a week of doing all this has taken a load off my shoulders, and I have found I sleep better. It's amazing what a few changes and a more positive outlook will do! In paring down the friends list, I've managed to surround myself with nothing but positive people, many of whom are on this same journey of a healthier life.

Ok, this has been longer than I meant it to be, and I need to get back to work. Have a lovely Thursday!

Whoopin'

I seem to go in spurts. Two weeks ago, I rocked every workout, didn't miss a day, and stayed true to healthy eating. Then the 4th of July happened...

Had I skipped this morning, I would have gone a full week without a workout. I think the weekend definitely had a hand in my missing things, as I had Thursday and Friday off, and spent them hanging out with friends and family (and my hot hunk of a husband!), then Saturday I spent 6 hours in the kitchen making food for only 3 people to show up and eat. Lesson learned - next year it'll be hotdogs and s'mores cooked over the bonfire. A trip to Walmart last night did not help my want for working out, so after dinner, I settled for a glass of Moscato and a hot bath. Going to bed early helped me get up this morning at 5:45 and KILL my Combat 60. That counts as Monday, so tonight will be HIIT:Power to make up for Tuesday. If I can move tomorrow, it'll be Combat 45, and then go see what this Zumba stuff is all about with Lauren. Friday brings Combat 60 again, Saturday is HIIT:Power, and a rest on Sunday. I see hot baths in my future to help relax away the soreness.

I have also found several 30 day challenges that I want to incorporate in. I've got those boudoir photos coming up in 6 weeks or so, so I have got to get into the best shape I can be! If it would ever stop raining, I could get back into walking, but it's been too wet lately.

This right here is my new motto. The only off days will be rest days from now on. 

Here comes the BOOM!

I woke up this morning thinking I got up too late to work out, then realized I had to meet Lauren at 12 not 11. More than enough time to do Combat 60! Got that in, with a little help from Oscar, and then went out to lunch with Lauren, and hung out with mom for a bit.

Mom and I walked Hobby Lobby and the mall - I'm on a quest to find a welcome sign for the front door. Didn't find any, but we did get a little over 6,000 steps in. Zach and I wound up watching 'My 600 Pound Life' on TLC last night for a while. I see these people as an inspiration. If they can make a difference and live better when they're on the brink of death because of being so obese, than I - a 125 pound woman - can do it, too.

70% of fitness happens in the kitchen, so just by eating healthier, you're well on your way to living a better life. Read the labels, do your homework, and make sure you're only putting good things into your body. Even desserts can be modified to be healthier. Then, get your butt off the couch and move! Dance along to the radio in the kitchen while you're cooking. Go for a walk and enjoy the beauty that is nature, go for a swim (especially if you have joint issues - the water will help with that). Take your mp3 player with you and listen to music as you walk, if you prefer. DO something, though, because sitting on the couch watching reruns and eating cheetos is going to get you nowhere fast. If you want your spouse or kids to make changes, but you refuse to, then how do you expect to have anything happen? You have to be the change you wish to see in the world (thank you, Dalaii Lama for that one).

Go out there and be awesome!

Going against the "norm"

I know it's frowned upon to toot your own horn, but in a world filled with negativity, I feel I have to in order to toss some positivity out there. Don't like it? Tough.

Ready - here we go.
I have successfully made it to the beginning of week 5 in my 8.5 week program. For those of you that know me, this is HUGE. I usually have quit by now, but no - I'm looking forward to working out when I get home each night, and tonight I'll be adding onto my workout with a trial run of Insanity, as I wasn't able to go for my walk today. This is HUGER (totally made up word, but it works), as I always thought anyone who would do Insanity on purpose was, well, insane. (Love you, Lauren!)

We've been eating better, working out, and I have seen a noticeable difference. Sunday, I tried out a new church and wore a dress I haven't worn since before I met my husband, and that was 8 years ago. I could still fit in it, I just didn't like the way I filled it out. Sunday? Yeah, I still have a ways to go, but I thought I rocked it even with a few trouble areas. This morning I slid into my skinny jeans like they were nothing.

I love this feeling, I love the 'under construction' me, and I love the new friends I've made on this journey. I have become a more positive person, and I've even noticed my swearing is going down! How cool is that?

On to figuring out dinner and getting my workout(s) in. Woohoo!

This is new...

I walked 2.11 miles on my lunch break, which was nice. The MapMyFitness app decided halfway through the walk that it wouldn't work, so I had to come back to the office and manually plug it in - not a huge hassle, but annoying.

When I got home, halfway through my workout, I felt and heard a small "pop!" Wasn't entirely sure what it was, and I didn't feel any pain (assumed it was my hip, as sometimes it does that, and it was in that vicinity), so I kept going. I finished with my workout, started sucking down water like it was going out of style, and plugged my workout into the two dashboards on both Beachbody and MapMyFitness, then went to take a shower. When I started getting undressed, I found out what the pop was - the elastic in my underwear had given. Now, I'm not a big girl - last I weighed myself I was in the 124-127 range - so I know it wasn't my waistline that broke them. These didn't get worn that often, so I can only think it was a crappily made elastic band. Weirdness.

Anyway, Combat 30 is in the bag! Tomorrow is a rest day, so I'm off to sleep in til 6:30! I've been doing this anyway, but I'm thinking Friday will be my get-your-butt-outta-bed-at-5:30 day. Gotta start sometime, so it might as well be then.

Oh, so my 2 mile walk plus workout netted me over 10,000 steps today! Woo!

Zach and I were talking tonight, and he said he noticed some definition in my arms, legs, and back, so this is really paying off. See for yourself!

I didn't take any of my legs, but they are looking better. Slow and steady wins the race. I have this tacked up in my bathroom to remind me, and I'll put it here as well, for those who may be getting discouraged:

Have a good night, all!