New girl is a new favorite

Seen the show "New Girl"?  Comes on Tuesday nights after Glee on FOX I think, and it is a favorite of Trent and I.  So in case you haven't seen it, I have to share a couple of quotes from last night that made me about pee my pants, and currently typing about it made me laugh out loud in my office!  Nerd Fail!!!

So Jess (Zooey Deschenel) has decided to work with some teenagers that need some positive influencing in life, and so she decides to teach them hand bells.....yes....hand bells.  However they "loose" their practice space and here is what she says about it to her room mates "Guys, we have to practice here (at their apartment), they changed our practice space back into a hallway".  

Also during this episode 2 of her "dude" room mates are in a money testosterone war, and they keep doing dumb things to one another.  At one point one of them hides the couch and fridge in the others room.  So before the end of the show Jess is yelling about something and finishes her rant with the best quote of the night "and what happened to our couch and fridge?  Did we get robbed by giants?"!!!

This show truly makes me laugh!!  If you haven't seen it, I highly recommend it!

Now, I am off to save children.  Don't give me a pat on the back yet, I work in a Church, so it takes on a new meaning.  I save children from themselves, glue fights, jumping out of windows, and of course having a chair pulled out from under them.

New Pictures....SIKE!!!

Soooooooo, excited to finally have a digital camera.  I had one many years ago when they were first coming out with digital cameras, and that thing didn't last a year!  I am very excited about having it and being able to post pictures.  Well, I brought my camera to work with me today so I could post about the exciting progress of our Christmas decorations we worked our butts off on yesterday.  Thennnnn, reality set in that I have an ancient computer and there is no slot for my SD card.  Not even a plug for a jump drive.  You can imagine my disappointment when that set in.  I was disappointed like a fat kid at the end of summer when he realizes he has to wait a whole year for the ice cream truck again!!

Anywho, I hope to have those pictures up soon, but until then, I need some help.  Trent and I went shopping the other night for the "Tour of homes", and after about 2 hours our eyes glazed over and we had about as much as we could handle and all of our decorating ideas started blending together and we didn't know whether we were getting something to go in the bathroom or the living room.  Sooooooo, I need some help!
Here is where we still need help decorating.  What are your ideas...
-Office upstairs...small weird shaped room.  Lime green walls.  Large glass desk and bookcase.  What should we do in that room????
-Staircase: In the past I have put garland up the banister and put ribbon in it and little red poinsettias.  What to do with it this year????  Pictures or ideas appreciated!

Hopefully I can get some pictures up soon, because I am so excited to have a camera that doesn't turn off randomly after every 3 pictures you take.  something tells me there is some internal malfunction if that is happening.

Standing under the Mistletoe

Soooooooooooooo, exciting news.....Chelsea has signed up for her first 5k!!!!!  She will join the fam as Bump has turned us all in to running fools. (At least that is the case when we wear proper running attire).  Chels:

has signed up for the Mistletoe 5k in Winston-Salem the first weekend in December.  I am so excited to get to run it with her!!!  Now I must get myself back in running condition to be able to do it.  My goal is to do this one in 42 minutes.  That would be about 13.5 minute miles.  At least somewhere around there.  I think it is a pretty attainable goal if I get to work!!

Since we are talking about the lovely lady, I must tell one on her from a few years ago.  When I was in high-school and had my license if she wanted to go somewhere, I took her, so she should have been pretty nice to me don't you think??  Well, one day her "cute" little self said to me, "Don't take this the wrong way, but I hope I look like Bump (our older sister) when I get older".  Well of course, I wouldn't take it the wrong way...just what everybody wants to hear from their sibling one day...I want to look nothing like you!!!!!  And guess who she turned out looking more like............muahahahahahahaha!

Pictures

So, I feel I would be more apt. to blog if I had a camera.  That way I can show what really goes on in my mind.  Much to your surprise it isn't all tumbleweeds and dust storms.  Since Trent and I are SO not technologically inclined (seriously, I can look at a computer and it won't work!!), we don't exactly have a working camera.

I bought one on sale about 4 years ago...it lasted about a year!  Trent bought a cheap digital camera about 3 years ago thinking it would do the job, however you can be getting ready for Christmas before the camera would actually take the Easter photo.  That sucker is sloooooooooooow!!  So, any ideas?  What kind of a camera should we get?  Wish list:
-Takes pictures quickly
-Fool proof
-Not too many buttons
-Easy to use
-Takes pictures quickly
-and did I mention easy to use?

We know nothing about cameras and know we don't need anything fancy, we just want to bear witness to the fact that we don't just sit at home and play Phase 10 all year long.  We do have a life, and want our kids to know that one day!!!!  We were talking about starting a scrapbook of wineries we go to since we have hit about 25 of the over 100 in North Carolina, however we have not a single picture of our experiences!

Pants on Da' Ground!

Gulf Breeze Anniversary Run For The Future 5K Run/Walk

So to give you an update on my oh so important running news, I thought I would do a little race recap.

Mom, Chris, and I did the Gulf Breeze 5k in October.  We will cut them a little slack since it was the first "annual" and still working out the kinks!  Plus, it wouldn't be us if it weren't a special experience!!  To pick up your packet you go behind the big gymnasium that it said go to in the parking lot.  Here is where all 75 participants gathered.  No, you don't need your glasses...I meant what I said...75 participants.  With there having been so few runners I would like to say we were all buddy buddy by the end of the race, but considering I only saw the hind end of most of these people for a few seconds before they flew by....they weren't much for conversing.

The best part is when you walk up to pick up your packet and they ask "are you runners or walkers?"...ouch!  We figured right then and there that wasn't a good sign.  You know when you watch boxing on tv and the boxers are jumping around getting their game faces on sweating profusely already while throwing practice jabs?  Well, that is what the beginning of this little 5k looked like.  You would have thought these people were getting ready to fight Mike Tyson.  Quite commical...however I can imagine they were doing the same thing when I came in 20 minutes after their finish time!!

We all gather where they are going to start, and I really start getting intimidated now.  So we head off threw the lovely neighborhoods of gulf breeze...and it hits me!!  I fear this is me.  So I can't run for my pants falling down.  But not just my pants friends.  No, no, the underwear have to be falling to for it to be really uncomfortable and annoying.  I couldn't run  because every step I would take they would fall further and further.  Since I was in the slow crowd (somewhere around 75th out of 75 runners), I found something that was a momentary saving grace.  

I was able to hide behind it for a second to return my clothing to it's designated place.  Once that was done   and I knew I couldn't run, I power walked.  I have never walked so fast in all of my life.  I am sure I looked like I was on a mission for the free beer at the end of the race!!

The most embarassing part was the finish.  When you approach there was a group of high school cheerleaders standing there pom poms in hand ready to cheer you across the finish line.  To bad I wanted to sock them across the face!  So to show the extent of my struggles through the race, I made my mom go to the bathroom with me so she could see the extent of my troubles.  When we got to the bathroom there were my struggles....around my knees!!  

So what went wrong you ask???  Well, I decided not to wear my normal running pants because I thought they were dirty.  So, I just wore some comfy black pants instead.  They are a little too big already.  So not good for running.  Not to mention the underwear I was wearing was too big as well.  Add it all together and we have a very dysfunctional 5k walk!!!!!

Lesson learned, and onward and upward towards the next one.  Where, I might add I will be there with bells and running pants on!!!

Random Acts of....Encouragement!

Last week I went out for a nice little evening jog, and shortly after I started, was greeted on the road by a woman in her SUV, that had turned around just to speak to me!  Her words were:


"Something told me to turn around to say something to you.  I am so proud of you for doing what you are doing.  No matter what your pace, at least you are out here doing it, and I hope you accomplish whatever goal it is that you are working towards.  You have inspired me to after work head home and run.  You can do it!"!!!


HOW COOL IS THAT?!?!?!?!  


The weird thing is, as I was starting my run I was just thinking to myself how self consious I am about how slow I can be sometimes.  That was the motivation I needed to keep doing what I was doing!!

Hit The Brixx

September 17th the fam and I headed to Charlotte to "Hit The Brixx".  Starting at 9am we headed out for the adventure of a 5k.  For 3 out of the 4 of us, it was our first one!  Here is how the day went down:

This is pre race:

Our Cheerleader, photographer, and famous T-shirt Designer, Chels:

Mom (and the girl next to her was apparently so happy to be finishing with mom).  36 minutes AND despite it being her first 5k...won 2nd place in her age group!!!  GO MOM!!!

Mom with her Award:

Chris:  Despite dealing with some messed up calf muscles, ran the whole thing in 41 minutes!!

Speedy Gonzoles!  I mean Scott Allen.  An impressive 31 minutes!  This was the first time he crossed the finish line.  He came back afterwards to finish with me the ole slow poke!!!  What a sweet brother-in-law!

2nd finish for him:

Me: Scared to death at the start that I wouldn't be able to run much...ran the whole thing.  At a snale pace, but I didn't stop (not even for the waterstation...which is probably why I was wearing my water)!  My time was just under 45 minutes, and 45 was my goal!

The whole gang post run:

Just simply finishing is a high you can't explain, but on of the greatest feelings ever!!  And what a better way to do it than with family.  The sad thing is, the one that got us all motivated in the first place dissed us for a cross country meet (whats up with that?) haha!  Duty calls, but we missed you Bump and thank you for being our inspiration!!

The runner after completing her first half marathon at the beginning of September:

Sooooooo excited to see what is next.  Which just so happens to be October 22nd, the Gulf Breeze "Run for the Future" in Florida!!  Having one under my belt gives me confidence and motivation to keep going and see how much I can improve my time,....and maybe one day...distance.  

Epiphany

Have you ever had one of those "ah ha" moments??  You know what I am talking about...when the light bulb turns on!

I had one of these yesterday.  So you know I am back in the gym and haven't been doing as well as I once was.  I had been having to stop and walk far more than I ever wanted to!!  Sooooooo, I hop on and do my warm up walk, then as I go to run....I decide to turn the treadmill a little slower than I normally do, and see how it goes.  Before I knew it I had just run a mile.  I mean obviously at my pace I think I saw a snail lapping me, but I did the pace I run outside instead of my treadmill pace, and I lasted much longer!!!!  Who would have ever thought???  I had been too worried about keeping up with the girl next to me that obviously hasn't seen anything but celery in the past year, or the guy that thinks he is Hercules, that I wasn't doing what worked best for me!!!

I actually enjoyed it more for that very reason!!

Hello Again

Well hello again!!  Remember me?  I am the long lost blogger that apparently was swept away by hurricane Irene!  I know all 2 of you missed me, but lets get back to business.

I have been WAY off track lately.  If my eyes saw it....I ate it, and if there was an excuse not to work out...I made it!!  I have gained back 3 of my 18lbs I lost.

Alas, my mind is clear and my jeans are tight, so I am ready to get back on track!!!!  I have been in the gym the past week and it has felt amazing!  I never realized how good it would feel to go back.  If I were flexible enough I would kick myself for ever making excuses not to go.  I feel like I have let myself down...which is not the greatest of feelings.  But onward and upward to bigger and better things...............

Hit the Brixx:

I have officially registered.  No turning back now.  I have committed, and whether or not I can run the whole thing, I shall try my damn-dest!  Mom and Chris have registered too...now we are just waiting on (in the words of my mother) "Scott Allen".  Pretty dang excited to be doing it with family!!!!!  The family that runs together...well...I assume gets sweaty together!!  I am so excited and have less than 2 weeks to get my butt back in gear and get ready for this thing.

Oh, hey, speaking of half marathons, Bump did one this weekend:

In just over 2 hours the maniac ran 13.1 miles!!!!  I loved the bumper sticker "1/2 marathon, because I'm only half crazy".  I am so proud of her!!!  I know I know, you are asking if that is my next endeavor??  *Sigh.   Well, as ready as I sound for it, no.  Though I think it is amazing that she was able to do it, I will be there with bells and whistles (and maybe a string of Christmas lights) hopefully for the next one to cheer on from the sidelines!!

There is no "Skinny" on anything I have had to eat lately, so we will just move right along from that!  Unless 16 is the new 4 and fried okra is the new zero calorie veggie!!

This has been fun and I would love to stay and type chat all day, but I must get some work done today, and definitely a run in!

CCC Splurge

Well, I am back from quite the week at Carolina Cross Connection with my youth.  Never a dull moment I must admit!!  The staff of Loy White was a saving grace!  Great group of kids running it this summer:

So, camp food can be a great thing or a total bust.  Fortunately and unfortunately we were blessed with lovely cooks who's philosophy was when it has enough butter...add more!!  Of course it made it taste wonderful, but my jeans didn't so much like it.  Breakfasts included: bacon, sausage, eggs, hash browns, biscuits, gravy, and french toast.  Then of course for dinners we had: fried chicken, lasagna, sweet potato fries, taco salads, hamburgers, more breaded chicken, etc.  Soooooo, you can imagine why my jeans are now yelling at me.  However, much to my surprise the scale only said I gained .5lbs while I was gone!!!  Something tells me the excessive sweating because 4 or our 5 days were spent working outside helped with the lack of weight gain.  On Thursday we were in direct sun all day long, and by the time we left instead of looking for spots that had sweat on them on our clothes, it was finding the little spots that were dry!!

Good clue that you are hot and sweating....a little...we had a  6 gallon water cooler full to the top, and between the 6 of us in our work team in one day drank the WHOLE thing dry, and not one of us had to pee all day!!!!  I rest my case.

Not much "Skinny"  on the workout lately unfortunately.  I took my running shoes and was prepared to be up running every morning at camp before it got too hot.  I only got up to run 2 mornings, and it was only 1.5 miles.  Nothing to write home about....oh wait....I am writing home about it.  I digress, my butt is SO excited to be back in the gym this week.  Though I hadn't really gained but .5lbs, I just feel better when I am working out more consistently!!

The countdown begins until the Hit the Brixx run next month!!!

Time to really buckle down and get my butt in gear!!!

So glad to be back, and ready to get back to business!!!

I'm baaaaack

So, back from vacation (sadly), and if I were to fill this blog with the wonders of my work out adventures last week, well this would be the end of today's blog.  So, instead, I am thinking about traveling.  No I'm not headed out on another vacation, but I sure would love to be.  I think secretly I desire to be a travel agent in life.  I find any spare minute on the computer being filled with hunting deals and such for vacation destinations.  Where would I like to go you ask?  well the list starts, but isn't limited toooooo: Charleston, Hilton Head, Bald Head Island, Savannah, NYC, Florida (beaches and of course Disney World!!!!), cruising the Caribbean, Bahamas, Keys, Australia, Puerto Rico again, Napa and Sonoma, Greek Isles, Fiji.  Those are just at the top of my list.

I mean...really....who wouldn't want this???

So here is my theory....I need to become a travel agent for a number of reasons.  I can get great deals on vacations.  I can travel more than I get to now because of not really having time off, and much of the travel would be considered research for work!!!!!  In a dream world right??  So, for now, I will just sit in my office, and continue to dream about having my toes in the sand weeks at a time without a worry in the world!!

Anywho, enough of the dreaming for now and back to the world of having 400 bosses and a stand full of puppets staring at me while I work!!!

It has been a week, and I am happy to say I am excited to get back to the gym!!  Lets be honest, who would have ever thought those words would come out of my fingers.  I weighed myself and happily am just up .5lbs from vacation.  So for that I am thankful.  Friday will be another weigh day, and today we get back on track!!!

9 Lives

Soooooo, today was weigh day of course.  I have had such a busy week getting ready for vacation and finishing up loose ends at work so I can be gone, I don't feel like I have done as well.  I always hate not cooking at home as much.  But I guess when you have 3 nights of work when you don't get home before 9, the thrill of cooking for some reason just isn't there!!

Anywho, this morning what I thought was going to be the throne of doome, ended up being friendly and saying I lost 2.5 more bringing the total up to 18.5.  The goal was 20 before vacation, but in the words of Shrek "That'll do Donkey, That'll do"!!  So I am very pleased.

I am excited about our fam plans to work out while on vacation though.  Between running (or light joggin for myself), the eliptical, walks on the beautiful beach, it shouldn't be a total wash out.  Nothing is more frustrating that working so hard to loose weight, just to blow it on vacation.  Okay, so I can think of a couple of things more frustrating, like a ticket when you know you weren't speeding and you were wearing your seat belt, or sitting next to someone on a plane with really bad gas on a long flight....but since the others aren't so much issues at this moment, the weight thing wins.  So though I will not weigh while on vacation, we are stocked with healthy snacks, work out clothes, bottled water, skinny margaritas, and of course beer and chips and salsa!!!  All the essentials!!

Se La Ve large metropolis of Albemarle, We are headed to florida!!!!

This is so me for the next week!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UJbG7256ZLY

16 and counting

Today's Weigh Day=Happy Day!!!  Down 2.5lbs more bringing the grand total to 16lbs gone!!  Asta la NEVA!!!  My goal was 20lbs by the 4th.  I have one more week, and 4lbs to go....doable....but we will see!!

The skinny on this weeks workout: Not only have a taken a liking to the eliptical, but I have been doing what I call "2 a days".  Its when you work out in the morning, then go to work and are in...

For another 3 hours.  Some of the moves that go with the music for these things are like a full body workout!  We get a complete arm, finger, thigh, and leg workout!!!  I have hoped, jumped, bounced, and shaken what my mama gave me more in the past week, than I think in the past year total!!  None the less, it has been fun, and though totally worth all of the efforts, very very exhausting!!

Can ya feel it??

Tomorrow is weigh day my friends...and well I am most excited about it!  I feel like I should be down.  If not, in the words of an awkward hispanic boy in high school that told me once "Your body is just changing".  No he wasn't referencing my workout efforts because at the time...I had none, but rather my acne!!  Who doesn't love high school???  So even if I'm not down, I feel my legs and stomach not jiggling so much!!

So anywho, tomorrow will be a good day, but as of now, I am down to 243.5, which is down 13.5!  Not too shabby.  I am feeling it more now than before and I hate to say it but I think it is in part due to the elyptical.  Key to being able to work my arse off on that machine....James Patterson.  As much as I would love to say its because we work out together and he tells wonderful stories, its his books!  I LOVE Jame Patterson.  Since I was getting bored on the eliptical, I one day took a book, and I get into the book so much I forget how long I have been on there.  It's a great feeling.

The skinny on today's workout:  I started the eliptical and did 1 1/2 miles, then went outside and ran 1/2 mile at the Y park, then went back inside to the track upstairs in the Y and ran a mile!!  This was my first time really really trying to run since I started the eliptical, and I felt myself going a little faster.  So that was nice!!!

New Food Finds:  Sadly....this has not been a priority this week, because I have been sooooooooo busy with work and VBS, cooking is a foreign language to me!!  However, Zaxby's house salad with Lite Ranch, is better than any fast food salad I have ever found.  Also, I have started something new....V8 juice.

It helps with the busy schedule to hold me over until dinner.  I wasn't so sure about it since I hate Gazpacho, because who really likes cold soup....but i can do the vegetable juice!!!

I would love to sit here and chat, but I must get on to more professional things like painting a panda costume, counting McDonald's toys, and practicing my dance moves before VBS!

Time Flies...

So I am trying to take Bump's advice, and not run as much as possible because of the ole' shin splints!!  Which has really not worked out to be too hard since this week I haven't had much time to workout!!  So I decided to do the cross trainer...eliptical...whatever you call it, and however you spell it...it looks like this...

I took a book with me today to give me something to do.  I hate straining my neck to look up at the tvs, I leave with a bigger crick in my neck than in my joints from exercising!!  So, anywho, I just hoped on and started the book.  I guess I got into it, because when I decided I was done reading for now, I had been on there 55 minutes.  I never knew time on a cross trainer could fly by so quickly!!  Bump would be proud...I don't so much mind the idea of doing something other than running if I can read and time flies like that!!!  I might be able to be a little more patient with my shins!!

Well, I'm off to do something for VBS I'm sure!!!

Weigh Day

So today being Friday, this morning I hoped on those scales and was pretty pleasantly surprised.  Down 2.5. For a total now of 12.5.  Not bad considering last weekend after working a show in Winston we splurged...or to put it more realistically....12 HOT Krispy Kreme doughnuts gone in less than 24 hours!!!  But that's okay, because the rest of the week I made myself stick to it!!!

Shin Splints....
I believe are from the devil.  And ironically the website I got his picture from had a quote I thought was cute "The road to heel is paved...Run trails"!  I always thought shin splints were a pain right on top of your shin bone...quite the contraire my friends!!  Some days I want to just stick my lower legs in buckets of ice water...actually that doesn't sound like such a bad idea!  I have taken advice from my sister (the runner) and a book she is reading, online, and 2 running stores...results after 6 weeks...nada!!  Trent and I went for an easy 1.5 mile run around the neighborhood this morning, but I had to stop twice because of my legs!!  So frustrating.  I have started cross training and doing the eliptical 2 times a week to ease the strain on my lower legs, so hopefully that will have some long term effects!!!  Any suggestions??

The "skinny" on this weeks workout:
Like I said I did start the cross training to ease off my lower legs.  Something I didn't know I liked about the eliptical machines at the Y are the arm things that move with your steps.  Its like a bonus workout without having to do something separate!!  I increased my speed on the treadmill this week, so I didn't last quite as long, but I know both are a slow progression.
MEN....when it comes to working out, they frustrate me!!!  So when I first took Trent to the Y with me, I thought I was going to impress him with my mad skills of running a mile without stopping, and who keeps up with me but his cute butt!!!!  For someone who hasn't really worked out in...lets just say a little while, he sure hoped right on that track like it was nothing!!  My sister signed her and her husband up for a 5k a few months ago, but he didn't get in the training he had hoped.  So I am thinking...oh no, I hope he doesn't overdo it...well he just hoped right in there and did the whole 5k without stopping.  Now, this is my goal of course, but I have been working 6-7 weeks and still couldn't do that yet!

New Food Finds:
Summer time means garden fresh veggies and a grill.  My in-laws have a garden every year, and I love getting stuff from them.  They have enough squash and zucchini for their neighborhood...well they don't really live in a neighborhood really more of just a street..."Happy Road" to be exact!  Anywho, it has been "How many ways can I cook it".  Grilled is our favorite, so to go with that I made some chicken tenderloins.  I decided to be adventurous and make my our BBQ sauce marinade for the first time.  And not to brag...but I think I could have a new profession.  It wasn't a thick one so it wouldn't be something I would dip, but pretty darn tasty!!!  Whats in it??  I thought you would want to know, so I do exactly measure, I just pour until it tastes right: White vinegar, worchsiosbegfau sause, ketchup, dijon mustard, brown sugar, chopped garlic, corriander seeds, ceyanne pepper for a little heat, and voila..... a tasty marinade!!!!

Stayin' in the grooove!

I think it is so cool when I wake up in the morning and get excited about getting to run and work out.  It isn't a "have to" kind of thing anymore.  Even though it is something I enjoy, this past week I haven't done as much as I had hoped.  I am ready to get this week back on track.

Despite not working out as often as I would have liked, Thursday I got Trent in the gym with me, and it was so much fun!!!  We did the track inside of the Y around the basketball court since it was so hot outside!!  20 times around is a mile.  Our goal was to do a mile together running, well we did that and I was so proud of him!!  He hasn't worked out much in a while, so I didn't know how far we would actually get...and he did it!! I think I was more proud than he was.  He acted like it was no big thing.  So we walked a couple of laps to regroup and I suggested we try another half mile.  So he was all for it, and he did the 10 laps, but for me once I go to 10, I wasn't ready to stop.  So I continued on to do 25.  Though we took a little break and walked a couple of laps that is a total of 2.25 miles jogging!!  Thats right, no walking...alllll joggin'!!!  I felt so good!!

I am headed back to the Y in a bit, and hope to not have lost much momentum since it has been a few days.

Better late than never!

So last Friday I finally broke my holding steady streak!  I hoped on and was down another 3 lbs.  So I am down 10 all together.  I was hoping for more than that in 4 weeks, but I can tell everything is fitting looser!  My only pair of jeans no longer have quite the muffin top they have had.  Just a little one now.  Trent and I have gone out on the lake with some friends a couple of times lately, and even my bathing suit bottoms came off after a good dump off of the tube!  Not a pretty picture....but a good problem in my book!

The skinny on this weeks workout:   Last Monday I hoped on the treadmill and just said to myself, I am going to just go until I can't go anymore...so for the first time I didn't just make it a mile, I did 1.4!!!  I know I looked like the biggest weirdo in that room with this big ole grin on my face for what seemed to everyone else no reason.  Anywho, even if the weight isn't just dropping off like I had originally hoped....this right here is motivation!!  So that 5K doesn't seem so far away after all.

New food finds:  Some things I just won't give up!!  For me, fried okra and rocky road are must haves.  Not every day, but I can't give them up for good.  However, summer veggies can still be delish when prepared in new ways.  So I put some squash and zucchini on the grill after putting a little EVOO, vegetable seasoning, and fresh parmesan cheese!  Trent fell in love with them as did I.  So something I recommend.

Truckin' Along

So I weighed in on Friday.....and I am still holding steady for my 3rd week in a row!!  The scale has said the exact same thing down to the half lb for 3 weeks.  So I got discouraged for about 2.568746 seconds, then got over my pity party because...I watch the biggest loser.  You see, sometimes during weigh in, they may lose like 1lb and they get really discouraged and nobody can believe it! (I love to watch the shocked faces)!

But it is all just part of it.  I am preparing to have a fabulous weigh in this week.  It's definitely not due to lack of effort and drive.  It just happens!

New Food find this week:  I have 2 this week.  Trent (the hub's) and I tried a new pizza place near by.  I tried to recreate what we had there...at home....delish!  I just a Trader Joe's pizza dough.  Put basil pesto, onion, grape tomatoes, artichokes, and some feta cheese.  Amazing!!  Also, this week I finally tried the Skinny Girl margarita.  A little tart, but I put a dash of Diet cherry 7 up in it...perfect!  And so much more guilt free than a regular.  About 30 calories for 1.5oz.

The Skinny on the work outs:  I pushed myself harder than ever this week and loved it.  You know that feeling when you are done, soaked, and worn out, but at the same time you feel GREAT?  I did the 3.1 twice this week.  Rested 2 days unfortunately (just because of a hectic schedule), but still have the goal to do the 3/1 in 40-45 minutes by this Friday.  I am feeling pretty confident that I can do it!

Gettin' in the groove!!

So i am really diggin' this working out thing!!  I look forward to it every day!!  This past week with the help of my mom and sisters, I have gotten me some new gear to run in!  Target has their workout fitted capri's on sale for $12.99!!!  I know I know....why would this girl get "fitted" capri's??  I wondered the saaaaaaaame thing, but after a battle in the middle of Target's dressing room, I was convinced I needed them.  Low and behold they are the only pants I own that don't fall down when I workout.  What a novel idea...pants that stay up!!!!

So to go with my new pants, I had to get some new shoes...........LOVE THEM!!!

We went to a running store called "Run for Your Life".  Great place. 

Here I learned I "pronate" to be technical.  I know...sounds painful just saying it.  But it is just a fancy word for a common problem of your feet/ankle turning inward as you run.  So these are to help with that.  I am currently dealing with shin splints that are from the devil for sure!!  But I was reassured that with the correct shoes and the more I run, they should subside.  However in the meantime I just ice down my ankles for about 10-15 minutes after each workout (and after stretching of course)!

New favorite food this week....Trader Joe's Low Fat Granola Cereal with Almonds.....YUMMM!!  I love it straight out of the box.  Instead of a cereal, I eat it over vanilla yogurt.  1/4 a cup is just 2 WW pts.

The "Skinny on this weeks workouts: I did a 5k on the treadmill for the first time (3.1) miles.  Didn't run all of it, but got in a nice rhythm and did it in 50 minutes.  Not bad for my first time.  I am hoping to be down to 40 minutes in the next couple of weeks.  What have I learned...You can almost always go further than you think you can without stopping!  

Back at it!

So here is the old me...in all my 257 lbs. glory!!

 I know this is answering the question we were all asking...so just how chunky is this chick??  Well lets be honest...it ain't so hot!!!    This picture was taken on a family vacation to the Bahamas, and I love the no parking sign on the porch with the rocking chair!  Story of my life!!!  Since I started 2 weeks ago really going at it with eating better and exercise, I have lost 6.5 lbs.  I never thought I would ever publish my starting weight to anyone...but if I don't hold myself accountable and try to hide it, I don't see myself ever making progress.

So this is the beginning of week three for my working out and becoming a healthier me.  
The "skinny" on today's workout:  I am started from ground ZERO with this whole running thing, and have thought all along...this will never work.  Today I had to take back a Redbox movie to Harris Teeter that is not quite a mile from our house.  Well instead of getting my butt in my car and driving it there, I decided to walk/jog it back.  I jogged for 4/10ths of a mile straight...which is my most yet!  I ended up jogging more than walking throughout the whole thing and loved it!  1.6 mile workout today and after getting some water and hanging out for a bit, I feel like I could go again!!  I am so loving this whole having energy thing!

**Just a side note, you will notice I love to use !!!!!!...its not because I am yelling at you, I just get excited when I type sometimes, and a period seems so boring!**

What am I doing???

WELCOME!!!  That goes to you and to me!  I am so new to this whole blogging thing, and am clueless as to how it really works!  So my sister blogs, and I have really gotten in to reading hers as well as others she reads or follows or stalks...however it is done!  So then I thought, I want to keep track of myself as I am committed to becoming a new and improved me!!

Before you click that X and say...oh lovely, yet another weight loss blog....quite contraire my friend!!  I do want to see my weight loss journey and keep myself motivated, but I want to share what gets me there and HOW I get there.  Not one of those, well duh, exercise and eat right and you will loose weight....(says the skinny person with great running legs or fantastic willpower).  I want to share lifestyle changes I learn along the way;  What keeps me going; and since I looooove to cook, why not throw some new recipes your way that are delicious yet don't leave you wondering why your weight just went back up!!!(Also to share the fun I have on the way with those that love and support me)

I am excited to start this journey, and get going on this blog as an accountability to myself!