Food is Fuel, so put the cookie down.

This upcoming Saturday I get to stand up in front of 300+ folks, look pretty and not freak out like the hysterically, awkward weird person I can be when I get nervous!

All because I get to be the maid of honor in one of my best friend's weddings up north and HAVE to fit in the bridesmaids dress. As of right now I can zip the sucker up just struggling with simple things like breathing..sitting..basic stuff. Therefore, this week I am trying to keep reminding myself that FOOD IS FUEL.  Repeat everytime I see cookies or cake or pizza or fried chicken.. *food is fuel*  *food is fuel*  *food is fuel*  *food is fuel*  *food is fuel*  *food is fuel*  *food is fuel*  *food is fuel*  *food is fuel*  *food is fuel*  *food is fuel*  *food is fuel* 

The problem is I. LOVE. FOOD.

When I see a deliciously, cheesey- full of turkey-tomato-lettuce-chipotle mayo-avocado sandwich on homemade bread with a side of shoe-string fries I am filled with joy. At times, I've gotten emotional** because I get so excited about yummy food.

**cue Jerry Maguire

In conclusion, fingers crossed I don't black out and eat my weight in rich, creamy-protein filled food this week and fit into my dress. 

I'll post pictures/update next week on the outcome along with a list of all the different fatty-cheat foods I'm going to treat myself with to celebrate the strong will power and 5:30AM workout dedication over the last few weeks!

Working for Those Goals

I'm pretty proud of how well I did this weekend working towards my new goals!

I went to a yoga class on Friday night, and I ran on Saturday and yesterday mornings.  The yoga class was an express restorative one, so it was only an hour, and we didn't do much moving around (which I was okay with at that point given how sore I was).  But it felt nice to be back on my mat, and it re-lit my little yoga spark, so yay for that.

My running was definitely tough, but I felt great afterwards, and I can tell that my body is slowly shaking off the rust of the past ten years (that's how long it's been since I've run consistently for any period of time - and that was mandated by my soccer coaches).  I fully expect it to take me a whole month before I feel any less awkward doing it.  I think the race series will help me establish a routine, so I'm glad I signed up for it. :)

We (the girls) met up at the Quince YMCA yesterday for some pool and sun time.  Annie, Amanda, and Mary swam quite a few laps, which was fun to watch.  I went up and down the length of the pool a couple of times and then caught up in my book, haha.  My legs were still protesting from the lunges I decided to do that morning (my hamstrings still hurt today).  It was fun to hang out at the pool with everyone and get some exercise in, though!  Now that we're all members of the Y together, we can start having little swim dates like that.

Zoomed Through the Zoo!

WOOHOO!  We ran our first race of the M-Town Series last night!  I had such a blast, and we all did so great!  Mary, Maggie and I had planned on going together, and Elise joined us at the last minute since she didn't know anyone running in the race.  I also ran into a few other friends who are doing the whole series as well, so it'll be fun to see them again at the other ones!  I'm really excited about the community aspect of racing.  It's a really fun way to feel connected to the city and everyone in it.

That was my first race this year, and I'm super proud of myself.  The fact that I even signed up for the race series is a major accomplishment for me, and the fact that I ran the whole thing and finished with a smile on my face makes it even better!

Our next race is two weeks from yesterday, in Harbor Town.  I'm looking forward to it, and once my legs don't feel like they've gotten run over by a bus, I'll have to get my running shoes out again and get moving.

WOOP!

Oh, and this...

Michelle Obama and Beyonce.

NBD.

*Ross Voice* "Hiii."

Oh dear fitness blog, how I've neglected you like I've neglected my fitness training.  It's been an odd month.

Items of note:  I wrote about my first "break-up" of 2015 mid-April - I'm STILL dealing with that stupid "break-up."  I don't even know what to say about it anymore.  Also, I did sign up for the M-Town Series!  Our first race is tonight, yikes!  And in case you're wondering, I did NOT prepare.

So...that's where we stand.  Somewhere between finals and "breaking up" with Patrick every weekend, I've slipped off the workout wagon.  I'm back at it again, starting with this race, and it feels pretty good.  Mary and I went on a four-day bender this last weekend, and my body has been paying the consequences ever since.  I don't know why I think I can still eat and drink like an 18-year-old and feel perfectly fine.

New goals:

GET BACK TO YOGA.  My mental calm has all but completely dissipated, and I can't take much more of the anxiety.  I have been working out in the yard more, and that's been a nice change for me.  Lately, though, we've had so much rain that it's been difficult to get in the yard and really do anything.

INTEGRATE RUNNING INTO MY REGULAR ROUTINE.  I finally shaped up my calendar again, and I added in all the remaining races.  They're close enough to one another that it should force me to get into a regular running routine.  I just need to make this a priority, especially since running and yoga go hand in hand.  It's so important to stay flexible when you start running regularly - tight muscles are not fun.  I want to sign up for the St. Jude Marathon Relay again, too, so establishing a routine early enough in the year would be ideal!

REESTABLISH CLEAN EATING HABITS.  There's really no excuse for this one, except for the emotional roller-coaster I've been riding all month.  And that's not really an excuse.  With warmer weather on the way, though, it should be easier to make healthier choices (i.e. grilled fish/lean meats, grilled veggies, watermelon/fresh fruits).

Okay.  *Deep breath* Here goes the refresh.

Midweek Musings

I'm on Day 8 of both my challenges (I synced 'em up - I was crazy for trying to do them on different days), which means I got to rest today.  And the verdict at this point is that I LOVE DOING THEM.  I'm a newly converted squat-lover, and I'm really just dealing with the abs because I know how good they will be for me.  I am super excited about toning everything up because I just spent a whole winter flabbing around from bar to bar, and it's time to tighten up again (in all ways).

Mary came with me to the gym this morning, and Amanda made it all the way in East Memphis.  GO TEAM!  Mary also asked me about signing up for the M-Town Series in preparation for the St. Jude Marathon Relay, and I think I'm going to do it!  I've slacked off on my running a bit, so I think that would be a great way for me to get back into it.

The first race is towards the end of May, so I should (theoretically) have enough time to prepare.  I've got my research proposal due a week from yesterday, and my final for class is on May 5th.  After that, I'm a free woman until August! :D

Major Challenge, Part I

WELL here we go.  

Break-up numero uno of 2015 is upon me.  

The first thing I always want to do after a break-up is to TREAT MAH SELF.  Huey's cheeseburger?  Yes.  Late-night Sonic run?  Absolutely.  A whole pizza all to myself?  Do it.  A pint of Ben & Jerry's ice cream? GET IT, GIRL.  You DESERVE this.  (You can see the problem...)

I do have an edge here, because I've been planning for this particular break-up for about two weeks now.  I was mentally prepared, or at least as much as I could've been.  So the regular sad spiral isn't as dramatic as it would have been if I hadn't been expecting this.  And I did indulge myself a little yesterday.  I took a nice long nap in the afternoon after eating a big ole french dip from Lenny's (thanks to my amazeball friends).  I ate a second helping of dinner at the farm, and I had a yummy piece of cake while watching Mr. Selfridge with the parents.  I also soaked my feet and took a hot bath when I got home.  The other side of indulging myself is that I forced myself to get everything together so that the beginning of the work week didn't overwhelm me too badly.  I had my clothes laid out, washed the dishes, cut up all my fruit, changed my bed sheets, did my laundry, worked out early this morning, had my protein shake and regular thermogenics breakfast, and I'm going to hot yoga later tonight with Amanda.

All in all, I'm working my ass off to stave off the crippling sadness that COULD set in (but that will not because I'm going to handle myself in a normal, healthy way).

SO.  Back to the grind.  I got my squats and abs in this morning, and I worked on my arms.

Side note: Saturday was a major victory for me because I woke up early enough to get to the gym and get a good workout in, do my grocery shopping for the week, and clean up the rest of the house before the Crawfish Fest shenanigans started.  That all made SUCH a difference in the weekend and in the way I feel today, so I need to continue to buckle down like that. 

Weekday Wins

I had a meal replacement protein shake for breakfast this morning. AND that wasn't enough, so I also had my regular strawberries and one ounce of protein on top of it.  WHICH I think is fine, because I was starving.

Yesterday, Amanda and I went to Overton Park to do our yoga, and it ended up being really great.  We had a lot of fun, it was super peaceful, and we got our crunches and squats in.  We had girl time afterward with Mary and Annie, so all in all, it was a well-rounded Wednesday night.  And we didn't have to pay for anything. :D

My body is starting to slide into okay-so-we're-working-out-regularly-again-and-it's-going-to-hurt-all-the-time-now mode, which means it's getting more and more difficult to get out of bed in the mornings (physically), and my hot showers are feeling better and better. :)

GUH

I'M LEAVING IN THREE WEEKS AND I ATE AN ENTIRE BOX OF PECAN CHOCOLATE CHIP SUPREMES LAST NIGHT.

Also not going out during the week is horrible and amazing but very hard.

Maybe I'm PMSing.

30-Day Challenges

Today marks days 2-3 of the two 30-day challenges I'm doing!

I'm doing an ab circuit with Amanda, and I think this one is going to be a lot tougher than last month's.  The planks gave it away up front.  I'm not a plank person.  But hopefully I will be after this month! :D

And here's the squat challenge I'm doing.  I have a lot to work with back there, and I reaaaally want to tighten it up and get toned.  I am also not a squat person.  But maybe this will help me get there too, haha.

Cheers, ladies!

IT'S THERMOGENICS TIME, THERMOGENICS TIME! THERMOGENICS, THERMOGENICS, THERMOGENICS AND A BASEBALL BAT!

*title sung to the tune of "Peanut Butter Jelly Time"*

Here we go, ladies!  We have successfully made it through Lent, and BOY did we go out with a bang.  We went over the top with our partying this weekend, and man am I ready to dial it back down and get re-focused on my healthy habits.

I've gone back to my old thermogenics diet full-time.  I went to the grocery store last night and stocked up on all my protein, veggies, and fruits for the week.  It feels good knowing I not only have a solid meal plan for the week, but I also have the food to make it all! :D

I am going back to weighing myself twice a week (at least), and this time I'm going to be working out  way more than I did the first time I did my dieting.

I WILL STICK TO THIS THIS TIME.  I WILL NOT BAIL LIKE I BAIL ON EVERYTHING. I WILL BE HAPPY IN A BIKINI THIS SUMMER. I WILL BE HAPPY IN A BIKINI THIS SUMMER.

Feel Good Inc.

I forgot how wonderful that song is (and HOW appropriate for our little blog).

WELL.  I've been staying strong with my morning workouts (for the most part).  I was blindsided early this week by a terrible cold that will not leave my body and by a humongous assignment I had to complete for school.  Despite the setbacks, I still managed to work out Monday morning and this morning.  I have class on Tuesdays from 5-8, so that takes up any potential free time for the gym.  I woke up Wednesday morning completely exhausted and drugged up from the Benadryl I popped the night before, so I stayed in bed and got a pedicure with Mary after work.

My eating has been great this week! I've stuck to very clean options and have consumed hardly any processed foods.  I'm using my old thermogenics diet as a general frame for my eating right now.  I have a wedding on April 25th, so I'm using that date as a time frame for my dieting.

I WILL BE HAPPY IN A BIKINI THIS SUMMER. I WILL BE HAPPY IN A BIKINI THIS SUMMER. I WILL BE HAPPY IN A BIKINI THIS SUMMER.

^my mantra for the next two months.  You can borrow it, if you like. :)

Good Morning, Metabolism!

After two consecutive mornings of working out before work, I can say that I don't know what took me so long to commit to doing this. As for whether the enthusiasm will last, I really hope so, because by all accounts it's made a world of a difference.

• My day starts on a positive, productive note.
• My metabolism gets a jump start, and my body starts burning cals right away. 
• I don't have the dread of having to get to the gym after work/before I can start dinner, and subsequently, don't feel the guilt when I inevitably bail.
• I have more energy, and I'm motivated to make healthier choices throughout the day.
• I sleep really well.
• I can make all kinds of after work plans because MY WORKOUT IS COMPLETE already!

My goal is to keep this momentum going (three morning workouts per week) straight through to the honeymoon. That, combined with yoga 1-2 times per week, will hopefully get me beach ready (I'm not looking for a miracle here, just wanting to feel more toned and sexy for Europe!).

One for the Laughs!

Goodbye, February Funk! Hello, March Madness!

WELL it's been nearly a full month since we've posted here.  In our defense, it's been a crazy, full month for all of us.

My parents went through a kidney transplant on February 10th, and our family came in town and visited the prior weekend.  I moved out to the farm to take care of them while they recovered, and I just moved back into my own house this past weekend.  My parents were in the hospital for almost a whole week, so I spent my days and nights out there.  We also had a full week of ice, sleet, and snow, which shut down most of the city for days on end.  And when we were in full recovery mode, I was responsible for taking my parents to and from the hospital for check-ups and making trips to the grocery store for food and such.  As you can imagine, my eating and workouts took a backseat during all this, mostly because I was too spent to devote any type of energy towards anything but that.

The great news is that now I'm back in my own house with my own things, it's more convenient for me to go to the gym, I'll be back in my regular routine again, and we're starting off at the beginning of the month! Wahoo!

I sat down with my brother last night, and we came up with two-three different workout plans for me to follow when I'm at the gym, so that's going to make a huge difference in my productivity while I'm there.  I also took an inventory of all the food I have in the pantry, freezer, and fridge, and lo and behold!  I have like two weeks' worth of meals in there, ha!  And all healthy and clean things: veggies, chicken, turkey, herbs.

SOOO HERE WE GO, YOU GUYS!  Here's to a new month!  *clink with the protein shakes!*

Feeling FAT

Mostly I just wanted to get the previous post off the top, because it was annoying me.

It's time to get serious though for real. It's starting to play out like all of the other times we've said we were going to get in shape for summer, and at the rate I'm going, I'm going to rolling out of my skimpy bikini in Spain.

WHY CAN'T WINE AND BAGELS MAKE YOU THIN? I'D BE SO SET.

Whatever. Let it GoooOoOo.

Feeling *thin*

Isn't it weird how much just feeling thin can motivate you to bang out another workout? I haven't stepped on the scale since last Friday, so I really don't know where I am pound-wise, but I woke up this morning after a cardio + yoga twofer yesterday, and I'm feeling thin and it's the best mood-booster ever. Enough to make me actually want to get out there and run after work (it helps that the weather should be PERF at that time) instead of dreading another cardio sesh.

Anyway, I figured I should document the times I'm feeling pumped in addition to when I'm feeling slumped :)

Happy Friday-eve!

Three Months and Counting

Today marks exactly three months until hubs and I leave for our honeymoon! A short 90 days until the sunny shores of the Mediterranean, topless beaches, biking through Amsterdam, and guilt-free paella. All of this is surely worth a focused mindset for the next three months to actually FINALLY deliver on the annual decree "I'm going to look good this summer."

I'm finally bouncing back from the sinus surgery, during the course of which I managed to lose three pounds (probably of muscle), most of which I think I've readily found again via various trips to YoLo, Sweet Noshings, and Jimmy Johns (comfort food!).

Here are a few commitments that I'm going to try to stick to between now and my wisdom teeth surgery on Feb 20 (so, 23 days from now).

• Four workouts per week: this means 15 workouts in the next 23 days.
• Sticking to clear liquor in limited quantity: this means no beer and as few shots as possible
• Switching to ecigs: this one I don't really have a choice about. It doesn't feel good to smoke regular cigarettes right now due to my new nasal situation (I realize that this is a good thing...) So I'll be relying on ecigs to curb the cravings, which should reflect positively during my workouts.
• Keeping up the habit of cooking 2-3 meals per week at home, eating leftovers, and drinking all the water/taking GC regularly

Hump Day Motivation

Tonight, Amanda and I are going to Good Vibrations at Midtown Yoga.  This will only be my second class in 2015, and Amanda's first class since her sinus surgery.  I'm excited to be getting back into a semi-regular routine with yoga again!

I studied for most of the night last night, so I failed to make it to the gym. I plan on making up for it tonight by doing a quick cardio session right after work.  Yoga isn't until 8:15, so that gives both of us plenty of time to get in a quick workout and eat something.

SO!  Here we go! Mid-week motivation!

Detox Time

I have been completely negligent towards my health over the past two weeks.  I ate anything and everything that crossed my path, and I failed to weigh in for the last two weeks.  I finally went to a hot yoga class yesterday afternoon, my first one in 2015.  It felt amazing, and I'm hoping it's enough to kick-start my motivation to get back on the mat.

I weighed in for the first time this morning, and I was pleasantly surprised to see that the scale hasn't really moved from my last weigh-in.  I'm a little suspicious of its accuracy, but given that it's a Monday morning, I'm not going to worry about it too much.  I had green tea and oatmeal with berries for breakfast.

I'm slowly getting it together again.  Here we go.

Losing Habits

Wouldn't you know it - I've completely fallen off the workout wagon.  I know that a big part of my lapse has been stress-induced, but I still need to get back on track.

I started school again last night, so that throws another kink into my regular routine.  We meet once a week on Tuesdays from 5:00 to 8:00 pm.  Last night I made a simple PBJ sandwich and threw it into my bag along with some carrots.  I was so full from lunch that I didn't really eat much during class.  Portable, healthy dinners is something I'm going to have to keep in mind during this semester when I'm at the grocery store.

At this point in time, I don't have strong motivation to get my eating and working out back under control, but I need to find it somewhere, and fast!

The Grocery T(r)ip

I'm hoping I've found a sweet spot with grocery shopping. Last trip, I found three recipes that I wanted to try and bought what I needed for them, plus our usual breakfast and weekly lunch fixings. Knowing that I had everything I needed for those three meals helped me stay on track with cooking them. They also each had enough for leftovers, so I was able to make three meals last about a week and a half, combined with the occasional dinner out. I feel so much better when we regularly cook at home, so I'm hoping this is a trend that sticks around for me. 

My last three meal choices were Philly Cheese Turkey Sloppy Joes, Turkey Enchilada Casserole, and Chicken and Rice (was supposed to be Chicken Fried Rice but I improvised early Monday). This trip I'm going to get the makings for Three Cheese Penne Pasta, Chicken Spaghetti and Smothered Crock Pot Pork Chops.

Changing It Up

Yesterday, I had terrible knee pain.  I don't know what happened (Amanda thinks it was the after-effects of our roller skating adventure on Saturday night), but I could barely get in and out of my chair at work.  I was dying to work out, though, because I'd consumed an entire Huey burger+fries+cheese and sausage plate+half a bagel in a mere day and a half.

So, instead of hitting the fitness floor, I joined a local middle school swim team and swam a bunch of laps at the downtown YMCA.  It felt amazing, actually.  I haven't done laps in a long time, so I felt a little awkward at first, but it all came back after I loosened up a bit.

Afterward, I rolled around in the hot tub in the locker room and had a fabulous time.  I think I want to add swimming to my regular routine now!

Two Down, Ten To Go!

FINALLY the scale moved! Happy Friday indeed. It's amazing the motivation that comes from dropping two measly pounds.

Of course, this comes at the onset of birthday weekend, which I imagine will see my gaining every bit off that back, but progress is progress either way. Plus, the routine has been established! I'm proud of my accomplishments this week, including three cardio workouts, and early morning yoga class, and home cooked meals every night.

Vodka soda--I'm coming for you.

Ab CHALLENGE, Indeed.

In the spirit of team effort and support, I tried out Amanda's ab circuit at the gym last night.  Holy hurting, Batman.

I glanced at the list and thought to myself, "This can't be that bad.  There's only a few exercises, and for 30 seconds a piece?  Psh."  I was singing an entirely different tune four sets in.  It's amazing how much such a little movement can impact a very large part of your body!  Honestly, I only got halfway through the ab exercises before I gave up.  It was the bicycles that did me in.  I've hated bicycle ab exercises ever since freshman year of soccer.  That feeling hasn't changed with age.

I also want to mention the fact that I made an impressive decision for lunch today; I opted out of lunch from Holiday Ham after quickly scanning their online nutritional info.  So, chicken noodle soup and veggies it is for me today.

Yay.

Midweek Slide(r Inn?)

Okay okay.  I confess, I slid backwards last night.  I didn't go to the gym in anticipation of yoga, and then yoga didn't happen.  And then I had a grilled cheese sandwich with tomato soup for dinner with half of a piece of cinnamon crumb coffee cake for dessert, a few Andes mints, two very full glasses of Prosecco, a vodka Gatorade (I know...), a Bud Light, and one and a half cheeseburgers and FRIES from McDonald's.

Total fail.  But it's fine, because I'm finally not starving (like I've been for the past four days), and I've had my fill of greasy food for awhile.

My plan is to hit the gym pretty hard tonight and tomorrow after work.  I've established a pretty solid routine this week, so I think it won't be too difficult to get back on track.

Gym Etiquette

Since Chris is a personal trainer and has basically lived at the gym for the last two and a half years of his life, I've learned a lot about the silent dos and don'ts of the fitness room.  There's a certain etiquette that is just understood among members, and your inexperience can really shine through if you unwittingly commit a faux pas.

Coming from a background of complete inexperience with a "real" gym (I guess the "weight room" at Immaculate Conception doesn't count in real life?), I tend not to judge people who have no clue.  This exact thing is what prevented me from visiting the gym for so many years, and it still keeps me away from the hardcore weightlifting area where all the gym rats congregate.

HOWEVER.  Last night I had a moment, and I almost whaled on these two OBVIOUSLY NEW ladies who stole my workout bench the minute after I'd gotten up.  I was doing my arm workouts, and I usually do three sets of chest flys, for which I need the bench.  I'd only done one chest fly, and they came over and took the bench from me.  I was pretty into my workout, so my anger at them flooded my body and came out in the form of sideways glares and severe eye-rolling.  Mature, I know, but I'm a wimp and didn't really want to ask them to move.  I should have though.

Chris has always told me that you have to keep an eye on people to see what their rotation is so that you don't accidentally do exactly what just happened.  Instead, these biddies PARKED THEMSELVES on the bench and stayed there well past the end of my arm workout.  Ugh.

The good news is that I got a great workout in, hit my steps for the day, stayed under my calorie goal, won the FitBit challenge, totally reorganized my closet, had a delicious dinner (Thai Lemongrass Green Curry Chicken and Rice) thanks to Mary, and spent time with Jane.  Yay for good Mondays!

Philly Cheese Turkey Sloppy Joe's!

Tried a new recipe last night and it was delish! Hubs said it tasted more like a chicken philly than a regular philly, but either way it was YUM, and only 237 cals per serving! That does NOT include the bun, but I used Wheat Sandwich Thins, which are 100 calories.

Here's the link to the recipe.

Tonight I'm going to make a turkey enchilada casserole from the same website, and tomorrow we will be in leftover heaven :)

Flat Does Not Equal Fit

WELL I've weighed in three times so far (Mon, Fri, Mon), and I've been flat each time. On the one hand, hooray for not gaining any additional weight over the NYE binge and realizing that as long as I am working out consistently I can eat (pretty much) whatever and maintain. Unfortunately maintenance is not quite where I'm at right now, so it's time to get back to portion control and, sadly, saying a temporary adieu to my most favorite sandwich (the Jimmy John's Italian Night Club).

I'm also dreading the upcoming hiatus I'm going to have to take for sinus surgery. Two weeks off of physical activity is PLENTY of time to ruin any recently formed working out habits. Silver lining there is that I might have no appetite at all so maybe it will balance out..

Here's to making the number on the scale move in my favor this week, and to not blowing it all in celebration of the big 2-7.

Go Team!

Back to the Grind

My work pants are still uber tight.  BOO that.   I weighed in this morning and put on three pounds from yesterday morning (thanks to my DELICIOUS Huey's lunch), which is fine because I lost two pounds last week overall (my weekly goal, according to FitBit).

Here's to workday motivation in the form of uncomfortable pants squeezing into my recently expanded waistline.  *protein shake cheers*

New Year, New Routine

I've lost seven pounds since I started tracking myself using my new FitBit!  My parents bought me one for Christmas this year, and I'm obsessed with in love with it!  It keeps track of all the steps I take throughout the day, how many calories I burn, and my sleep cycles.  It also allows you to track your food as you eat throughout the day, so I love having that option all in one app. I  can track my own exercises if I want, but it keeps up with my steps anyway so it's not totally necessary to log that.

This weekend I've been making strides in getting moving and keeping an eye on the amount of calories I consume versus the amount of calories I burn throughout the day.  It helps me stay sane while trying to lose weight because I don't want to die after eating some french fries or a piece of chocolate.

So - now that we're in 2015, I'm determined to get back on track with my regular habits (like working out, taking vitamins daily, meal planning).  Here's to more fiber and more steps!