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!