Running My Mouth

10 Days

2011-12-01T19:43:00.000-05:00

Where have I been for the last 10 days? It's flown by... and yet, I don't have much to report. Thanksgiving was wonderful, we got to spend time with my crazy family. I stopped listening to my hunger signals and started stuffing food in as fast as I could get it in. And because of that, I was left feeling gross, stretched out, and neglected. I've been listening to my body again and it's amazing that a few days can make you feel better.

One good thing.. I have been given the green light to run again. Dr. Josh suggested a different knee brace and so I'm going to buy one and kick my training back into gear. Hopefully pain-free gear.

I wish I had more to say... maybe tomorrow. Tonight, I shall go read.

Hopeful...

2011-11-21T13:45:00.000-05:00

I had my appointment with the chiropractor/physical therapist this morning... I was nervous going in that he was going to tell me - no more running. He didn't say that. He definitely thinks it's a tendon issue. He did some manual massaging. Then he did the electro-stimulation and ice at the same time... followed by the ultrasound. Finally he did some trigger point dry needling, which was interesting.

So far, my knee is feeling good. I'm still resting and icing. I'm gonna start working in some other forms of activity and after a few treatments with Dr. Josh, I'm gonna get the running green light again.

In other news, I had a fabulous birthday weekend. Great time with great friends and family. Followed up with the Washington Redskins laying a big fat goose egg. You can't win them all, I suppose.

33 Years in the Making...

2011-11-18T09:54:00.000-05:00

33 years ago, my mom went into the hospital and gave birth to a bouncing baby girl. Teeny tiny... 4 lbs, 14 oz. Much has happened since that day... first words, first teeth, first steps, school, college, boyfriends, broken hearts, jobs, etc.

I am a sum of those years. I've learned so much through the years. I've changed so much. Life has been good to me and I hope that continues. As I sit here on my 33rd birthday, I can't help but feel blessed.

I can't wait to see what year 34 has in store for me!

Scared...

2011-11-16T14:08:00.000-05:00

Okay, so Blake and I are at the point where soon we'll be actively trying to make a mini-me (or him) and yet every day it seems like someone approaches us and tells us not to have kids. Friends, acquaintances, people who have kids, people who don't... it seems like the general public thinks that kids ruin your life and that everyone should stop having them. Or maybe they just think that Blake and I would produce offspring that would take over the world (Pinky & The Brain brain brain)...

That being said, it scares me. I know kids are expensive. I know that the experience will change our lives as we know them. I know that there will be really rough times, with exhaustion, frustration, feelings of guilt, failure, etc. But to have so many people tell us not to have kids, makes it seem like there's something we don't know.

What I don't hear enough of is how wonderful their kids are... how the experience is hard, but totally worth it. How, if we want kids, we should totally have them.

Of course, we aren't going to base our decision to have kids or not on what other people say, but why do people have to try to freak you out about it? Make you feel like it would be the worst decision you ever made?

Marathoner...

2011-11-15T15:54:00.002-05:00

That's right... I'm a marathoner. Talk about some awful pictures... but here you go, just before I crossed the finish line...

I Ran Richmond...

2011-11-14T11:55:00.000-05:00

Sort of.

I'm not sure how people do these organized recaps... I don't remember a ton! First things first... The Expo. It was very easy to find and it wasn't very hard to pick up my bib. The vendors themselves, they were all pretty crowded, but I still managed to buy a new Sweaty Band and a new ifitness belt. I picked up my shirt and then we headed out.

That evening, I got as much rest as possible. I went to bed and ended up having a dream that I was late to start the race and wasn't able to compete. That was at 2:30 a.m. so needless to say I didn't get much sleep after that. I tossed and turned and finally got up at 5:15 and got ready. We stopped at Wawa (gas station/convenience store) and I got a bagel and some Powerade. We made it downtown without any issue and it was easy to find parking. I made mistake number 1 once we parked the car. I hadn't been having any knee pain this week so I decided to forgo my knee bands. I put them in the bag Blake would be carrying so I could grab them later if I needed them. We braved the chilly air and hit the port-a-potty line.

Then we stood around waiting for the half-marathon to start. Blake took off down the road with his signs so he would be able to see me around mile 2. Once the half-marathon started, they started forming the corrals for the Marathon. I was standing there all by myself and the people around me were in their own zones... I wished at that point that I had someone doing the race with me.

And before I knew it, we were off. I started my run/walk intervals and I was feeling good. Looking back, I went out too fast though. Live and learn, I guess? The spectators were great, there were bands along the route playing, people cheering us on. I saw Blake at mile 2 and gave him a quick kiss. I was still feeling good.

By mile 4, my knee was starting to twinge, but I knew it would be a while before I would see Blake again... It wasn't so painful that I had to stop or anything, I just knew I was in for an unpleasant experience. I tried to keep my thoughts positive... it was very difficult though.

By mile 10, it was hurting pretty bad, but I was pushing through it. I made it to the half-way point at 2 hours and 47 minutes. That was with me walking through quite a few intervals. The course support was great. There was always plenty of powerade/water and enough port-a-potties around so there weren't long lines.

By the time I saw Blake again, at mile 18, I had been walking for around 2 miles. I got my knee braces and tried to run some, but it was very painful. I cannot describe how much I just wanted to give up. I went into this telling myself that I just wanted to finish, but my brain apparently had different ideas. I was walking and I wanted to be running and I was beating myself up because of it.

I tried running some, but it proved to be too painful. There were many points where I had tears in my eyes, I wanted to stop so bad, but I wouldn't let myself. I just kept moving. Hobbling along. It hurt to even walk. I walked most of miles 18 through 25. Once I hit 25, I jogged a few paces here and there. Finally I was almost finished. I hit the 26 mile mark and knew it was a downhill go from there, which in theory is good, but considering it hurt the most going downhill, it was not easy.

I decided I wanted to be running when I crossed that finish line, so I ran. It hurt, but I ran. The look on my face as the photographer took my picture will likely be one of agony... but it doesn't matter. I crossed the finish line, with an official time of 6 hours and 3 minutes. And while I'm happy that I'm finished... I'm sad that I didn't train as well as I should've. I'm sad that I had to walk way more than I wanted. As silly as it seems, I'm disappointed in myself, even though I know I have no reason to be.

I could've quit. I could've not started. Instead I pushed through and that, in itself, is something to be proud of. So tell me... why am I having such a hard time with that?

Two Things Thursday

2011-11-10T09:35:00.000-05:00

Yeah yeah, should be Three... says who?

It's two because I have TWO days left until I'm a marathoner. <~~~~Say what?

1. I'm starting to freak out a little. I have a list made so I can be sure to remember everything that's important on race day. I'll probably forget pajamas or clothes for the next day... you know something like that, but as long as I'm dressed appropriately on race day, who cares? I'm going into this with just the plan to finish it. I have no time goals. I'll be doing a run 2 minutes, walk 1 minute interval... and while taking that first walk break just out of the start corral is going to be really hard, I'm going to make myself do it. Everything I've read (and people I've talked to) tells me that by doing this, I should be able to finish stronger than if I ran the whole thing. I likely won't post tomorrow, so the next time you hear from me, I'll have stories to tell!

2. Radar is going to the kennel for the first time while we're gone. (Insert sad face here) Normally our family watches him... but everyone is either too far away or out of town, so the kennel it is. It's a nice place and all... I just hope he still loves me when we pick him up on Sunday.

Oh crud... let's make it three things afterall...

3. Happy Veteran's Day... Thank you for everything you do.. and to your families as well. You put your lives on the line every day so that we have freedom and for that, I am eternally grateful. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

If I Say So Myself...

2011-11-08T13:36:00.000-05:00

I just ate the most delicious salad... In the bowl:

Romaine Lettuce
Goat Cheese
Dried Cherries
Bacon Crumbles
Granny Smith Apple
Almonds
Raspberry Vinaigrette Dressing

I'd like another please. No really, it was really pretty satisfying. I am sitting here finding myself wanting to eat even though I'm not really hungry though. Oh how I hate that.

It's like - HELLO - you aren't hungry. It's because I've had some pretty atrocious habits the past few days and so my brain is telling me that I should continue down that path. Not a good idea.

4 days until the race! Woohoo!!!!

Let's Be Honest...

2011-11-07T13:19:00.000-05:00

1. I did not spend the past week fueling my body with nutritious foods.

2. I did spend the past week eating a bunch of junk and not caring about it.

3. I do not wish to fuel my body with nutritious foods this week.

4. I have fueled my body with nutritious foods today.

5. I will continue to fuel my body with nutritious foods this week in preparation for running 26.2 miles on Saturday.

6. I will enjoy my post-race food-fest.

7. I will get back to normal after I return from Richmond.

8. I am going to register for the full Rock N Roll Marathon in DC for St. Patrick's Day. There's a discount of $20 if you do so on 11/11/11 between 11 a.m. and 11 p.m.

9. What's your favorite spectator sign? Blake is going to make a few so he can be a good spectator.

7 Days, 19 Hours

2011-11-04T12:43:00.000-04:00

I could go on... Richmond Marathon's website tells me how long until Race Day. I'm getting nervous. Tonight I'm going to sit down with a friend who just ran her first marathon (Marine Corps) and get the deets. I'm afraid she's going to tell me something that will completely freak me out.

My week has been extremely uneventful and I found I haven't had much to say. I hope y'all still love me. Maybe my brain will go back to "normal" after the race. Until then, it's likely going to be short posts. It's all I can put together.

I've Done It Again...

2011-11-01T14:32:00.001-04:00

Or maybe the title of this post should be: Oops, I did it again... *breaks out in song & dance*

Okay, back to regularly scheduled programming... Last week, Kimberly over at Healthy Strides issued a challenge. A strength training challenge... and well, I've gone and committed myself. For the month of November (which coincidentally is my birth-month), I committed to working in 8 strength training sessions. Today, November 1... I completed one. Jillian's 30 Day Shred... Oh how I love/hate you...

That being said, I think this challenge will be extremely helpful. And actually I plan to work on getting more than 8 sessions in because after the marathon, most of my workouts will be indoors. You see, it's dark when I leave in the morning, and dark when I get home and there isn't really a "safe" place for running in the dark around here. I know that the 30 Day Shred can fill in when I can't run... it's done it before.

And... the added benefit will be - I'll be buff by the time we go on our cruise in late January! Woohoo!

Finally Friday

2011-10-28T15:10:00.002-04:00

We made it to Friday everyone! Woohoo! Aren't you excited?

I am... though, don't hate me... I'm off work today. I made use of the day off and got in a 6 mile run this morning... you know, since they're calling for snow tomorrow. *STARES* It's October. It was a good run, there was a little pain in both knees today so I took care to stretch and ice when I got home. 2 weeks from tomorrow, I'm running a marathon! EEK!

It's going to be a busy Saturday for me... a birthday party for my niece, almost 2 hours away from home, and then a Halloween party at my cousin's. Woohoo.

What are your plans for the weekend?

Sometimes It Happens..

2011-10-26T14:10:00.001-04:00

Sometimes you are going to overdo it.

Sometimes you are going to tear through a bag of Ritz Multigrain Air Crisp chips. Sometimes you're going to eat a bunch of oreos.. and peanut butter filled pretzels. Sometimes a king size Kit Kat package is going to land in front of you and you're going to devour it. Same thing for those Twizzlers. And sometimes, you're going to end up at Pizza Hut having stuffed crust pizza at 10:00 at night.

And you know what? Sometimes it's okay.

Something... Anything...

2011-10-25T12:36:00.003-04:00

Something is definitely better than nothing.

I woke up in a mood. A foul, nasty mood. All I wanted to do was go back to sleep. Today is a telework day though, and I had some things I had to take care of so I started working. Instead of getting my run out of the way first thing. I knew that probably meant I wasn't going to do it. I wasn't feeling it. Like I said... foul, nasty mood.

I finally laced up my bright pink/yellow shoes and decided I'd go run to the end of the street and back. A little more than a mile. A little more than doing nothing. And so, that is just what I did. I ran. I pushed. I finished that 1.25 miles and then I came inside and showered.

I call it a victory. My foul mood remains, but at least I did something active today.

Less than 4 Hours...

2011-10-24T11:57:00.001-04:00

I have a big smile on my face today... and it's all because of something that ~~happened~~ I did this weekend. I'm owning it... I did it and you know what? It was a major confidence boost!

I woke up Saturday morning and got myself dressed and ready for my last REALLY long run before the marathon (18 days). I had an english muffin with peanut butter and banana... I did some dynamic stretching. I set up my iPod and fuel belt. Out I headed. I set my nike plus up for just a basic workout, because I didn't care how far I went. My goal was to be out there for 3.5 to 4 hours... no matter how far that took me.

I took Starburst with me to fuel me, along with Powerade. I fueled along the way, when I felt the need. I tried to time it out so that it was just as I'd be fueling during the marathon according to their water/fuel stops. I felt strong. The run 2 minutes, walk 1 minute interval is really sweet. I ran along the road, down toward the beach... then along the boardwalk for a while... I headed over to the new boardwalk and covered that distance a couple times and then I was out of Powerade - EEK! Have no fear, I was near a gas station/convenience store. I was hopeful that their soda machine would have a water dispenser. It didn't. Beggars can't be choosers, so I filled up my water bottles in the bathroom and went back on my way.

The good news at that point was it was time to head home. The last 20 minutes, I walked through a couple run intervals, but mostly continued my run/walk intervals. There was a little knee pain on the downhill segments toward the end... I walked when necessary and I pushed through.

I got to the stopping point and ended the workout and you know what my iPod announced to me? The longest run to date... (duh, I knew that because it was the first time I had been out there for that long). The distance:

20 miles

20.01 miles to be exact. In 3 hours and 48 minutes. I don't have any time goals for this upcoming marathon, just to finish it and not be dead. But doing 20 miles in less than 4 hours definitely gave me confidence that I'm going to be able to finish this marathon. That I'm going to rock it.

I went inside, stretched, iced, showered and rested the day away. We went to dinner with my cousin and his girlfriend and then hung out at home. Surprisingly... I'm not sore. Not even a little. There was some stiffness yesterday, but nothing to write home about. I shall go knock on wood now...

Set yourself a goal and reach for it. Do what it takes and you'll make yourself proud. Believe me... I know!

Perception

2011-10-21T13:29:00.001-04:00

I can look in the mirror and see myself, yet I don't think I truly know what I look like. Does that make sense? I have a distorted perception.

There used to be a tv show on... I don't remember the name of it (maybe How to Look Good Naked)... At the beginning, it had a line-up of women in all shapes and sizes (from smallest to largest based on measurements)... and the "contestant" had to place herself where she felt she would belong in the line-up. I'm pretty sure I would totally mess up where I belong (as most women on the show overestimated their size).

It's hard though... I wish I could see myself through someone else's eyes. Anyone got some eyes I can borrow?

Fears

2011-10-20T11:54:00.002-04:00

Here's the thing... I mentioned briefly that I'm embracing Intuitive Eating. I've done really well for the most part.. not overeating, listening to my body, fueling with nutritious foods most of the time, and still allowing for indulgences if that's what I want.

The problem... I am afraid. I'm afraid of the scale. I'm afraid of that number creeping up. Want to know the really funny part? I don't know what the number is doing, whether it's creeping up or not... because I am to afraid to get on the scale. I'm afraid of what my mind will do if the number is higher than before... I'm afraid of what my mind will do if the number is lower than before. I'm afraid that I'm going to go to the doctor in a few weeks for a routine examination and be shocked by what the scale says. Or that I'll feel ashamed or embarrassed about what it says (which I realize is completely ridiculous).

I'm healthier than I've ever been. I've been co-existing with food for a few weeks now in a healthier relationship than ever. I'm not counting things... I'm not freaking out about measuring things... I'm being active because I want to be, not because I need to be. I'm making healthy, nutritious choices probably close to 90% of the time. My clothes fit and I feel good in them. So what if they aren't a size zero.

So why the fear? Why does that damn number matter so much? What's the difference between 140 pounds and 125 pounds? Yes, I know the literal difference is 15 pounds... But what's the body difference? What's the happiness difference? Is it worth fighting through to get to 125 only to have to limit yourself for life? Why does that number matter?

It shouldn't. I know it doesn't define me. I'm still afraid of it and I'm not quite sure where to go with that.

Hump

2011-10-19T15:07:00.001-04:00

Gotta climb over the hump that is Wednesday. This week has seemed like the longest week in the history of the world and yet we still have two days left.

Source

We're almost on the downward slide... I guess technically we are, since for me anyhow, it's almost time to go home. Then it's exercise, dinner, shower, and chill until it's time to go to bed and get up and do it all over again tomorrow.

I read (in many places) that today is Love Your Body Day... so, please leave me a comment letting me know what you love most about your body... only positivity allowed today (and everyday) please!

What do I love most about my body???
I love that my body was strong enough to put up with years of not being taken care of... and that it held (holds) no grudges about the fact that I don't always give it the best fuel. It's a strong body and I'm a strong woman.

Your turn!!!!

Online Shopping Success!

2011-10-18T14:17:00.004-04:00

So we moved out here to the boonies... okay, it's not that bad really, but still we are 30+ minutes to the nearest mall so I get to call it the boonies. I have been in dire need of some new pants and I broke down last week and decided to place a few online orders.

The first of which arrived today... from American Eagle. New jeans. New cords. New trousers. And they all fit. The waist could probably be taken in a smidge, but the fit over the ghetto booty (which I wouldn't trade for the world) and thunder thighs (only meaning that they are strong and muscular) is perfect! I'm happy with the purchase! I will say that the Taupe cords are more green in real life than they are online, but they're still pretty cool and really comfy.

Do you shop online? Where do you have the most success? I'm currently still waiting for a purchase from The Limited to arrive... more pants, a couple tops, and a couple skirts... I hope they get here soon!!!!

Favereds

2011-10-17T13:10:00.003-04:00

Oh yeah.. I'm pretty sure I've died and gone to heaven now. After reading about Janae using Starburst to fuel her run I decided that would be a grand idea. I haven't tested it out yet... I've got that on tap for this weekend. That being said, I went into the store planning to buy Starburst. And I walked out a very happy lady. You see... I was going to buy a regular package of Starburst and then I would have to dig through and pick out all of the red and pink ones... because let's be honest, they are the best. I would've left the orange and yellow for Blake.

So, imagine my delight when I walked into the store and found this staring back at me:

Source

Oh yeah!

All reds, all the time. Cherry, Watermelon, Fruit Punch, and Strawberry... and all of a sudden, I cannot wait for my long run to get here this weekend!

Speaking of running... I took the old knee out for a test run on Saturday and ended up doing 10 miles, relatively pain-free. I wore a band around my ITB and I think I'm going to add my runner's knee strap to that and I think that will make it all work out.

So my plan is morphing again and I'm going to get some good quality runs in this week and then Saturday I'm going to hit the road for 16 to 18 miles... then I'm going to start my taper. Race day is November 12 and I'm going to rock it!

I mean, if a 100 Year Old Man can run a marathon, surely I can finish one! Rock on people!

Three Things Thursday

2011-10-13T13:09:00.001-04:00

1. Pumpkin Harvest Soup. It should be available year-round. Either that or I'm going to have to buy a new freezer so I can hoard it.

B. Rain. I need it to stop. We're supposed to go kayaking tomorrow and they are calling for scattered thunderstorms. I don't want to get electrocuted. I do however want to still go kayaking... it is, after all, really close to Menchies... and I could use a frozen yogurt stop.

III. The Scale. I've been on it a couple times since we came home from our B&B trip. I'm going to destroy the thing with a hammer though. I know that the number doesn't really matter. I need to take it's power away. I know what will make me a healthy person, which is my goal.... so those are the things I need to focus on, not the number on the scale. I'm going to declare our house a scale-free location.

Bonus - We've had oreos in the house for the past 3 weeks and I haven't binged on them! Woohoo! There really might be something to this taking the "taboo" label off of things!

Wordless Wednesday

2011-10-12T15:12:00.005-04:00

~~Because I really don't have anything to say....~~

Honeymooning in St. Augustine, FL

Seriously?!?!?

2011-10-11T15:42:00.003-04:00

Okay, so a few weeks back, I ordered a brand new Road ID. I put Blake's number on it, as well as my mom's. I figured that Blake doesn't always have his phone with him, so it would be best to have my mom on there too. It arrived, in all of it's beautiful yellow glory and I started wearing it on all of my runs. It was the responsible thing to do. It makes me feel safe and I look down at it and see "Well done > Well Said" and it keeps me going.

So, fast forward to last week. My mom sends me an email and tells me that they are switching to comcast for their phone and that they will have a new phone number. *stares* You mean, the phone number you've had since before I started high school? The phone number you've had for at least 20 years? You're changing it NOW?

And yeah, I know, I can order a new tag for my Road ID... but come on... the whole thing was $19.99 and the replacement tag is $16.99. Hmph. Can I charge my mom for this? Send her a bill? Who would've thought they would change their phone number after TWENTY YEARS?

Hmph... Fine. I'll go order a new one.

I did run yesterday... but my knee still isn't right. I'm not sure if I'm doing more harm than good. Sometimes it feels okay... sometimes it doesn't. I know, I should go to a doctor, right? But what are they going to tell me? Rest it?

32 days until the marathon and I don't know what to do... any advice out there?

Relaxed...

2011-10-10T11:30:00.000-04:00

Blake and I spent Wednesday and Thursday evenings at a B&B in the Virginia Mountains. We went winery hopping and had a technology-free few days. It was absolutely amazing. We visited a winery on our way down to the bed & breakfast and then went and checked in. The room was nice, the atmosphere was cozy, and the grounds were beautiful.

Wednesday evening we wandered into town and walked around. We had dinner at a little pizza joint. The food was good but nothing really exciting. A few pieces of pizza and we split a sub. We went back to the B&B and decided to trek out to the hot tub to enjoy the crisp night air.

Thursday morning, we enjoyed the provided breakfast and then started our winery tour of the day. We had chosen three to visit and wanted to get an early start. We hit the first one as they opened and the lady looked at us like we were crazy for wanting to do a tasting at 10 a.m. Um... just call us lushes, okay? We enjoyed the wine... purchased a few bottles and went along our way. The next winery we had chosen was a little over an hour away, so we drove and drove...

It was a cool little place and they make a sweet cherry wine that I am in love with. Yes, I said it. So there. We asked the owner for a lunch suggestion and boy am I glad we did. He was spot on. The restaurant we went to was absolutely amazing... from the warm bread to start all the way through dessert. I had a delicious salad that I feel the need to recreate. It was grilled chicken on a bed of romaine with apples, craisins, candied pecans, and goat cheese with a pomegranate vinaigrette.

After lunch, we hit our third and final winery... we definitely saved the best for last. The views were amazing. The wine tasting room was built into a 200 year old barn that had been refurbished by the Amish. The wine was delicious and we decided to have some crackers and brie while we enjoyed the view.

We headed back to the B&B and both promptly fell asleep... we woke up and decided that we didn't need dinner because we were both stuffed from the day of wine tasting and lunch. We went out and enjoyed the hot tub again and then Blake watched the Penguins game while I fell asleep on the couch next to him.

We really didn't want to come back home to reality, but we had to. It was an amazing weekend and we really enjoyed ourselves.

It's a shame that we can't be that relaxed all the time!

Maybe...

2011-10-04T11:49:00.001-04:00

The pain is subsiding.. I'm going to rest it again today and hopefully be able to go for a short jog tomorrow morning. We shall see.

This week, the Blakester and I are going to a bed & breakfast a couple of nights. It was a living social deal and we are excited to get away. We're going technology free while we're there... so no blogs, no facebook, nothing. I think it will be glorious. Just the two of us... having fun... laughing and goofing off like usual.

So, have an amazing week!!!!

Worried..

2011-10-03T10:04:00.002-04:00

That's me. I'm worried. Here I am, 6 weeks to marathon... and I'm injured... a bum knee... Runner's Knee... IT Band Syndrome... either way... rest is called for. Yet, the longest run to date is the 14 miler from Saturday. What's a girl to do?

I know the answer. I need to rest it and take my time. I don't want to have to back down to the half marathon. I suppose if it comes to that I will. My next long run isn't scheduled until next Saturday, so I have time... so I'll RICE the knee and hope to get back into training slowly.

Maybe I'll change to a 2:1 (running:walking) interval instead of the 3:1 I've been doing. I don't know... what I do know is that I don't like this.

How do YOU deal with injury?

Crinkle Cut Carrots

2011-10-01T17:27:00.001-04:00

Whoa - here, on a Saturday. No way!!!

Is it acceptable that since this morning, all I have done was run and sleep? In my defense.... I ran 14 miles... farther than I've ever run before. My knee is NOT happy. I came home, bathed/showered (no ice involved - I'm not that crazy), ate (mmm... green bean casserole) and proceeded to fall asleep. I slept from 1:30 to just a few minutes ago. Whoops. It was GLORIOUS though.

The run itself...

The first half I felt really strong... as I pushed on, my knee started to hurt. It only hurt during the run intervals, walking on it was fine. I did walk through a couple intervals towards the end, but still had an average pace of 11:20/mile for the whole 14 miles. So that's not too shabby in my eyes.

I think the knee pain is because I'm running on the shoulder of the road, and well roads are made so that water drains off of them, meaning my left leg has to reach farther to hit the ground than my right (does that make sense?). Anyhow...

Now I'm sitting here with some frozen crinkle cut carrots, icing my knee. Make do... in two weeks, I'll run 17 miles.

For today... I'm proud of myself and I'm looking forward to some Menchie's Frozen Yogurt! Yes, even if it is only 55 degrees outside.

Happy Days to You!

Friday Fun Day

2011-09-30T15:47:00.000-04:00

What's more fun than getting up and driving an hour to pick up a necklace? Shopping at Target, of course! I had to go pick up a necklace that was being repaired today and while I was out of the boonies, I thought it would be great to take a look around at good ol' Target...

And what did my wandering eyes find?

Well, I bought the most obnoxious running gear I could find. Yes, I'm THAT girl. So I now have a fluorescent green and a fluorescent yellow top... along with a pair of bright lemon yellow & gray running shorts... and these:

Aren't they glorious?!? At least I know people will see me coming and going.

In other news, I've decided to make peace with food... I need to start trusting myself and I know that this is the first step. I've been reading Intuitive Eating and it's like I'm reading about myself. I'm loving the book and can't wait to start implementing!

There are Oreo's in my pantry right now! And I know that I can have them... as many of them as I want. You know what though? I don't want them right now. Maybe I will later. Maybe I won't. But they're there.

Happy Friday everyone!

Three Things Thursday

2011-09-29T13:12:00.000-04:00

1. We arrived home last night to find that our insurance company has cancelled our homeowner's policy based on the fact that we have an upper-level door that has no deck/stairs/railing. Now, to clarify... we do have a door off our living room that will one day lead to a deck. Currently it has a safety fence going across it so a person couldn't fall out. Did it matter that I had informed the agent I arranged the policy with of this door with no deck? No. Did they give us an option of putting on steps or a deck? No. They just cancelled it... Nice. Thanks for that bright news asshats.

B. I'm overly emotional and the fact that they cancelled the insurance left me in tears... both last night and this morning as I was calling around trying to find someone to cover us. Thankfully, my day was brightened by the fact that I found insurance and the price is just about the same as what I was already paying.

III. I hate fruit flies. Yes. HATE.

Is It Possible?

2011-09-28T12:33:00.001-04:00

Is it possible to develop a healthy relationship with food? I have had a rather unhealthy relationship with food for as long as I can remember. Yes, true... I have been able to lose weight and maintain that lost for the most part, however I feel like my relationship with food is still unhealthy.

I turn to food for non-hunger reasons often and I haven't been able to pin-point any specific rhyme or reason. Sometimes it's out of boredom, sometimes frustration, sometimes I'm not sure why I feel the need to shovel food into my mouth as fast as possible. And it doesn't have to be "good" food either. I'll binge on whatever is around. I want to stop though and I'm not sure how.

I've put some thought into the fact that I don't keep a lot of foods in the house and accessible. When I'm at the grocery store, I don't buy a lot of foods because I shouldn't be eating them, or w/e. Essentially, I've given a lot of foods a taboo label. Does this lead me to binge on any foods that are there? Because I'm telling myself that some things are off limits? Or am I being wise by not keeping certain things accessible to myself? I feel like there's a very fine line.

I want to be able to keep a package of cookies in the house and not have them call my name repeatedly until the package is gone. I want to be satisfied eating one serving of chips without feeling the need to devour the whole bag of chips. I want to be able to go out to a restaurant and make a healthy choice because I know the food is nutritious and will still be delicious. I want to WANT to make the healthy choice instead of making the healthy choice because I feel like I HAVE to. I want to be able to indulge without feeling guilty.

I want to get the ball back in my court and stop letting food have the power over me.... I'm not sure how to make it happen or if it's even truly possible. What say you? Do you think it's possible to develop a healthy relationship with food? What do your friends think? Am I doomed for life? Am I doomed to pass on my unhealthy habits to our future children?

If you think it's possible (or you've done it...) - help! What steps do you think are necessary?

Tuesday Thoughts

2011-09-27T09:09:00.001-04:00

Why do weekends have to go so fast? It's just not fair. I suppose life isn't fair though, so it is what it is.

The weekend was good. Got in a five mile run, did some painting of the basement, and hung out with Blake. Good times.

My beloved Redskins played Dallas last night and it was an awful game from the start. Neither of the teams deserved to win... they both made so many stupid mistakes. And the thought of having to listen to the Dallas fans gloat about their amazing quarterback makes me want to gag. I'll give credit where credit is due... Romo played well, especially considering the injuries and the mistakes his team was making... but still. The game was ugly. Both teams should've been disqualified for being stupid.

Oh well.. I'll take a 2-1 start.

I really wish someone would come and make me some breakfast!

Executive Decision

2011-09-23T12:01:00.000-04:00

I made an executive decision this morning...

I'm moving my 14 mile run to next weekend. It's going to be rainy and dreary and my fuel belt I ordered isn't going to arrive until Monday. So... the new plan for long runs goes:

9/24 - 5 miles

10/1 - 14 miles

10/8 - 5 miles

10/15 - 17 miles

10/22 - 6 miles

10/29 - 20 miles

11/5 - 6 miles

11/12 - MARATHON

I think yesterday was a fluke... I'm feeling confident again and I can't wait to do this! I think it's going to be a blast (it is America's Friendliest Marathon, after all)...

So, I'll do a 5 mile rainy run and then idk what the rest of the weekend.

What are your weekend plans?!?!

50... Fifty... Five-Oh

2011-09-22T12:55:00.001-04:00

Welcome to my current freak out. There are 50 days left until the Richmond SunTrust Marathon that I will be running. I knew it was getting closer... but only 50 days? Eek!

I'm running this race alone... the first time I'll have done a race by myself (will I really be by myself with the thousands of other people running?)... and I'll be in a strange city that I don't know. I'm starting to worry about finding my spectators after the race. I'm starting to worry about getting to the race on time. I'm starting to worry about how Blake will entertain himself for 5+ hours while I'm running. I'm starting to worry that maybe I've bitten off more than I can chew.

EEEEEEEK.

Scatter Away...

2011-09-21T15:25:00.002-04:00

One Fine Day...

That's what I had yesterday and what today is shaping up to be. I've made good choices and I have good plans.

On schedule for the evening - a 30 minute run. I hope the weather cooperates and that the scattered thunderstorms that are being called for scatter elsewhere.

What do you have on tap for this evening?

Connected

2011-09-20T13:59:00.002-04:00

Coming to you... straight from my new living room office space! Woohoo! Finally connected to the ~~real~~ internet world from home!

So, now that I'm fully connected and recommitted, it's time to lay it all out on the line.

I spent the majority of my first 30 years overweight... obese by the charts in the doctor's offices. Then I took control and I did something about it. I went back to Weight Watchers and I focused. I lost the weight and successfully maintained. Or so I thought. You see, I was stuck in a trap... a wanting to keep losing trap. I set a goal, I achieved it, then I moved the goal. Even at my lowest weight, I wasn't "happy" with what I saw.

Then it came time to go away and get married... bring on the ~~weight~~ food. I ate. Then I ate and then I ate some more. Yeah, sure I had excuses. I was getting married. Then we came home and we were getting settled. Then it came time to buy a house, then the stress of closing on the house. Excuse, after excuse, after excuse. Could I have controlled it? Absolutely... I didn't though and now I have to live with that choice (those choices?).

That brings me to today... to a point where I need to recommit to myself. Except this time, I am going to change my outlook. I know it's not going to be easy. It must be done though.

I aim to change my habits over the next 8 weeks (that's when I'll turn 33) and my plan is to form some lasting healthy habits. From those changes, I think that weight loss will occur, but I am not going to focus on that. My focus is going to be on living a healthy life.

What does that look like?

Tracking my food intake, daily (because when I don't, I don't make good choices - writing it down keeps me honest)
Strive to fulfill the good health guidelines (thanks Weight Watchers) on a daily basis... For those of you who are unaware - the basics - Water, Healthy Oils, Fruits/Veggies, Multi-Vitamin, Lean Protein, Whole Grains, Dairy, Activity, and Limit Sugar/Alcohol intake
Start appreciating the changes I have made over the years
Stop comparing myself to other women... I see them on the street and think - is that what I look like? Am I bigger than that, smaller than that? It's not healthy. I am who I am. It doesn't matter what anyone else looks like. In addition to this - I'm going to stop paying attention to people's run paces... It drives me insane when someone posts about being slow, and their pace is faster than I run on a great day. I need to stop letting that get to me. A run is a run, whether it's fast or slow.
Make dessert into something special. Rather than having dessert EVERY day, I'm going to have it on a select few days (Tuesdays, I'll still have my M&M's while Blake bowls) and one other day of the week, I'll convince Blake to get dessert out. Otherwise, if I'm still hungry after dinner, fruit is going to be my go-to.
Make the healthiest choices I can, at any given time, but allow myself indulgences as well.
No beating myself up about slip-ups, mistakes, etc. It doesn't do anyone any good.

I think that's a good start. I believe that this year coming up, we'll be trying to conceive at some point and I want to be at my healthiest. I want to form these habits so that when the time comes, I can pass them along to our child(ren).

Struggling with your weight is difficult... Changing 32 year old habits is even more difficult...

Here is what I'm finally realizing:

I (WE) truly am (are) worth the effort!

Everyday I'm Strugglin...

2011-09-19T15:14:00.000-04:00

It's the truth. I'm struggling. I'll string together a few "good" days and then I'll tank it and quit for a couple of days. I'm on a mission though and there will be more to come on that, hopefully tomorrow... assuming the internet people show up and are actually able to install the internet.

What I did this weekend:

Ran 12 miles (2 hours and 12 minutes)
Ate myself into a major food coma

Yep, that about sums it up. I realized that as of yesterday, I have 2 months until I turn 33... Tomorrow's post will feature my goals for the next 8 weeks, so I can turn 33 healthier and happier than ever.

What did YOU do this weekend?

Three Things Thursday

2011-09-15T12:09:00.003-04:00

A. We still don't have internet at home. The guy came yesterday and quickly determined that it was never installed at the house. Oh, but he couldn't install it, he was just there for a trouble ticket. Call and schedule an installation appointment. So yay, more leave to waste.

2. Someone just told me that I'm looking SO skinny. *fist pump* I don't see it, well not all the time.... sometimes I see it... but it's nice when other people see it and say it.

III. I went for a run yesterday morning.... my "window of opportunity" for the internet dude was 12 to 3, so I took advantage and went for a nice run yesterday morning. I'm slow and I'm cool with that... 30 minutes done... by the by... with a beautiful view. After I was done, I walked for a few minutes and took in the beauty!

By the bay...

Snappity Snap Snap

2011-09-12T10:12:00.001-04:00

It was a good weekend here in Maryland. The rains have stopped (for now?) and everything is drying up! Woohoo. The Redskins won, which always makes for a good weekend. Now to just hold out hope for the Dolphins tonight so Blake can be happy too.

I went for a run this weekend... 4 miles, a little walking, but finished in 45 minutes so I'll take it. Another 30 minute run is on tap for this evening.

Food-wise, things were mostly good this weekend. I did indulge in some ice cream and a few cookies, but I tracked them... and that's a major start. I have to also admit, we rescued the scale from the old house and surprisingly, I managed to maintain where I was through the stress of moving. Yay me.

Now, back to those cookies... I think I'm in love with Ginger Snaps. I've been craving them like crazy lately and so I decided to buy a bag this weekend. I shall portion them out appropriately. Snappity Snap Snap... y'all hold me to it, okay?

I'll be MIA tomorrow and likely Wednesday... we are still without internet access at home. Boo. But they are coming to fix that on Wednesday (supposedly).

I hope you all had a wonderful weekend.

Four for Friday

2011-09-09T12:47:00.003-04:00

1. I made awesome beef, bean, and cheese enchiladas last night. I'm having leftovers for lunch.

2. I haven't been running... or exercising at all. Just call me a rebel. This will change starting tomorrow.

3. It took me 4 hours to get into work today on the bus, thanks to closed roads, flooding, traffic, etc. It's normally a 45 minute trip. At least I was on the bus and not driving myself.

4. I want these goggles for Radar so I can recreate this picture with Radar:

Source

Rude Awakening...

2011-09-07T11:19:00.002-04:00

I'd like for the rain to go away. I realize that we needed it, but I'm pretty sure it's not doing anything right now... except sitting on top of the already saturated ground. I guess the upside of this is that we'll know for sure whether or not there are any leaks in the house.

Speaking of the house... I LOVE LOVE LOVE it! We signed over our life (and our someday to come first-born child) and were given the keys. We spent the weekend moving and then the last two days unpacking, organizing, and shopping. More to come on those purchases in the future... You know, once everything is organized and pretty... You'll get to watch the transformation.

As for my rude awakening... I've been eating my stress and not exercising like I should be. This morning, I woke up to rain and lower temps and so I pulled out a pair of pants... pulled them on, buttoned them, and then quickly realized that I should not go out in public in them. I'm well aware that just because you can get them on and buttoned, doesn't mean they fit.

So, my pants are all too tight. I'm wearing a skirt and I'm freezing. And I'm climbing back on the wagon.

There you have it folks... it can happen to anyone. This is just a reminder that I'll have to stay conscious and vigilant about my weight loss/maintenance for it to "stick."

Now, I'm going to find a blanket so I don't freeze to death.

Exhale

2011-09-03T11:05:00.001-04:00

Whew! So we were finally able to close on the new house yesterday... and so let the moving commence! We are mostly packed up. We pick up the moving truck this afternoon and we'll load as much as possible tonight and then head off to the new place in the morning! Something tells me that in about 8 hours or so, I'm really going to wish we had hired movers. HA!

I'll be MIA for a little while until we get the internet up and running!

Happy Labor Day weekend everyone!!!!

Stress Ball

2011-08-31T08:32:00.000-04:00

I don't deal well with stress. I won't pretend to deal well with stress. I make awful choices and you know what? It is what it is. Should I learn from my experience? Yes. I should. Will I? I don't know. I hope to never have to deal with this stress again.

Needless to say, today is not closing day. Delayed again. I'm hopeful that the final pieces will fall into place so it doesn't have to be delayed any more, but I'm not going to hold my breath. I'm going to muddle through this the best I can and then once we are in the new house, I'm going to formulate a plan (both food and exercise) to get myself back to where I truly want to be.

You see... I'm still a "healthy" weight for my height. I am not happy though.. My pants are tight and I'm not happy about that. It is no one's fault but my own. And I know how to fix it.

Ironically enough, I am the same weight right now that I was around the end of August last year. I made it to where I truly wanted to be by December, with the help of Jillian's 30 Day Shred and eating right. This year, I will throw marathon training into that mix as well.

So - short term goals:

Get into the house
Formulate food/exercise plan
Execute food/exercise plan

Long Term Goal:

Learn how to keep it going for good and to make it the way I live

Pizza Face...

2011-08-30T11:03:00.000-04:00

You know what stress will do to you? It will cause you to have pimples all over your face. Popping up out of thin air, making you look like a pizza face.

I'm never buying a house again... so this will have to be it. This house will have to be the one. This is too stressful and all I want to do is shovel food into my mouth.

Did I take advantage of the beautiful weather yesterday evening and go for my planned 30 minute run? No, I did not. I sat on the couch with Radar and read my book. And today, I want powdered donuts. I'm not sure when the last time I had powdered donuts was... but I want them. I will not have them, as I don't have any money to spend on them... but I want them nonetheless.

Tomorrow's supposed to be closing day... Still waiting... Have I ever mentioned that I don't have much in the way of patience?

Pins & Needles

2011-08-29T13:11:00.000-04:00

Well we made it through Irene. We lost power in the middle of the night Saturday, but it came back on around 10:30 Sunday morning. Not too shabby... We've had our fair share of power outages that last days in that house so we were relatively surprised when the power was restored so quickly.

I will say that my eating habits over the weekend were what one might consider sub-par... including Wendy's, Reese's PB Pumpkins, and Pizza/Breadsticks... but that's in the past now. :) I did complete my 10.5 mile run (on the treadmill) Saturday... while watching Hitch. Such a good movie, made me forget that I was running in place for almost 2 hours.

We are now waiting on pins & needles though. We were originally scheduled to close on our new house this afternoon. Last Friday, we realized that wasn't going to happen as the underwriters hadn't given their final approval yet. So we rescheduled it to this Wednesday. Well thanks to Hurricane Irene, the underwriters are without electricity in their office. So now I'm not sure we'll be able to close Wednesday.

Some good closing thoughts would be greatly appreciated....

Oh, and I'm pretty sure I'm going to sign up for the Hot Chocolate 15K... I figure, what's the harm?

I Might Be Insane...

2011-08-26T14:36:00.000-04:00

First - I will have you know that I did complete my run yesterday... I did it on the treadmill, as thunderstorms were threatening... and let's be honest, I have no desire to be struck by lightening. I did a pyramid type run.. Started at 5.0 and worked my way up to 6.5 in 0.1 mph increments for the first 15 minutes. I stayed at 6.5 mph for 2 minutes and then worked my way back down. It was a good run.

Second - I'm seriously considering signing up for the Hot Chocolate Race in DC. Why does that make me insane? It's 2 weeks after the first full marathon I'll ever do. I am contemplating the 15k, but I might settle for the 5k. What say you, oh wise ones? The jacket you get for signing up is well worth the entry fee!!!

Third - Underwriters suck. It seems as if the closing on the house is going to be delayed because they're asking for stuff we have already provided them. *stares* The only upside here is that it will give stupid Hurricane Irene time to get through and we'll be able to do the final walk-through afterwards to make sure there is no damage. And that if there is damage, it will be fixed by their insurance.

So that's that. If you're on the East Coast, be safe this weekend... Actually, be safe wherever you might be!

Best Laid Plans...

2011-08-25T09:19:00.000-04:00

I had the best of intentions. I set up my iPod. I set out my running clothes and shoes. I went to bed early. I set the alarm for just shy of 5 a.m. I was going to get up and get my run out of the way first thing this morning.

Then a little after 1 a.m., I jolted awake... to the house shaking. Yes, an aftershock from Tuesday's earthquake. It was short, over in just a few seconds. But then I couldn't get right back to sleep. And this guy thought it was time to play.

So, it took me about an hour to go back to sleep. Needless to say, when the alarm went off just before 5 a.m., I nearly threw it across the room. Commence snooze-fest 2011.

Don't worry though, I'm not making excuses... I'll be doing my run this afternoon. And the next time I prepare for an early morning run, maybe the earth won't shake me awake!

Did I Mention?

2011-08-23T12:15:00.000-04:00

I resigned my position with Weight Watchers due to the move. Sadness. I had my last meetings the week of August 13. It was so sad to say good-bye to those members... tears were shed, both on my part and theirs. It was so nice to know that I helped so many people. The things they said to me made me so proud.

I gave them all my email address. I do hope they'll continue to update me on their successes.

Because I gave myself a few extra weeks to pack, etc. I was able to attend the Weight Watchers meeting where I lost my weight. Oh man have I missed that group. Such a great group of people and they were all so excited to see me! We had such fun. I will go to that meeting the next two weekends and then I'll be on the hunt for a new meeting by our new house!

Everything is coming together... the last minute stress of closing is going to drive me insane, but I'm plugging along. I just want to go ahead and sign our lives away already... and get those keys in our hands!

The Long One...

2011-08-22T15:21:00.000-04:00

Yesterday I did 9 miles. And I'm able to still move around.. yes my friends, I do believe my back is healed for the most part. There's a twinge of pain every now and then, but for the most part, I'm 100% pain-free. I just have to remember not to sit in this chair for hours and hours without a walking break. Hey, that's good for me, right?

I also re-arranged my training plan for the marathon.. I went to Jeff Galloway's marathon training plan and I updated mine to be more like that. So I'll have 3 run days a week... Every other week the long run will increase... and on the off weeks, it's another shorter run. I'll have two days completely off and a day of cross training thrown in there. I'll also work some strength training in too, likely in the form of ~~torture~~ Jillian Michael's DVD.

One week left until we close on the house!!!! It's almost here!

and the verdict is...

2011-08-19T09:54:00.000-04:00

I am off work today. This morning I decided to go out and test out the legs (and back) for a run. I hadn't run outside in months and months... but it was in the 70's and even though it was humid, it was bearable. So off I went... I took it slow... 2.8 miles in 31 minutes. I'm not going to win any records, but I ran it all and I was pain-free the entire time!

And two hours later, I continue to be pain free...

I'm going to aim for a longer run on Sunday... not the full 14 miles that my schedule calls for, but longer... somewhere between 7 and 10 miles I think..

Happy Friday everyone!

Three Things Thursday

2011-08-18T12:41:00.000-04:00

A. Injury/Running. I decided to rest up a little bit more. I don't want to take the chance of really injuring my back even more. Another couple rest days, a few walks around the neighborhood and then I'll test out the ol' legs. Hopefully they'll still work then! ;) If I have to cut back to just do the half-marathon in November, then so be it.

2. House News. Things are moving along at a good clip... we're aiming to close on August 29! Woohoo. We'll be moving in over Labor Day weekend... anyone want to help us move? We've gone through most of the rooms in the house and purged a bunch of stuff. We also have a pile of donations in each room. This weekend we shall gather everything up and put it together. Next up... packing... I hate packing.

III. Rock & Roll DC. Yes, I'm already looking that far forward... Rock & Roll Marathoning is coming to DC for the first time ever next year... and it's taking place on St. Patrick's Day! How can that be beat? It can't... I'm pretty sure I'm going to do the half with a bunch of friends... And I'm super excited about it.

I'm Pouting.

2011-08-16T14:03:00.000-04:00

So, I lasted a week with the back pain before I had to go to the doctor. The doctor then proceeded to try to make me feel foolish for not waiting longer. Seriously, the first question was: "It's ONLY been a week?" Yes, there was clear emphasis on ONLY. *makes note - find a new doctor*

Anyhow... so the doctor gives me steroids, an anti-inflammatory, and a muscle relaxer. Needless to say, I could only take the muscle relaxer and hyped up anti-inflammatory at night, because they both cause drowsiness. Jamie + Drowsiness Inducing Meds = Lights Out

I finished up the course of steroids on Sunday... I took the muscle relaxer and anti-inflammatory up through Saturday night... Yet, my back pain is still here. It is nowhere near as bad as it was last Monday, which prompted my visit to the doctor though... so I guess that's something.

When will it go away? Should I ease back into exercising? Take more time off?

The problem - Marathon is less than 13 weeks away. Do I take some more time off and hope that I'm ready to kick it back into gear next week? Take it day by day? Try to go for a run? I have no answers.. and it makes me pouty.

Ouch...

2011-08-07T09:02:00.000-04:00

Still suffering with the lower back pain. WebMD says to rest for a couple days and then to get back into regular activities so as not to weaken the muscles. It says to wait 2 weeks before you call the doctor. It also says that it's a symptom of early pregnancy. *stares*

So no long run for me today. I'll be up and around moving around the house, but going to the gym isn't going to happen. I've had a good eating week, so that's a great thing. The first full week I put together in a LONG time.

In other news, the house situation is moving along and we should be in our new place within a month! Woohoo!

Temporarily Sidelined...

2011-08-03T10:26:00.000-04:00

I've twisted something in my lower back... or something. And so, exercise-wise I'm going to be temporarily sidelined. And I hate it. I know that I need to rest though so I can heal properly. I did run 1.5 miles yesterday (3 was on the marathon schedule). Today is supposed to be 6... alas, I'll have to get that in on Friday. Sunday calls for 12 miles... Hopefully I'll be able to do these two runs later this week if I give myself a couple rest days in a row.

Food-wise, things are looking good. I'm making healthy choices and treating myself responsibly. Life isn't any fun without ice cream. I'm weighing it and tracking it though and that's much better than I had been doing.

Don't injuries suck?

As History Repeats Itself...

2011-08-02T08:28:00.000-04:00

Thinking back over the years, I have noticed a trend. Summertime wreaks havoc on my weight loss. It was around this time last year that I was struggling... floundering. And I find myself in that same position again this year. How to change it. Why is it happening? I'm not sure.

To be completely honest, I have been fooling myself for the past 8 months into thinking I was doing what I needed to be doing. I'd track during the week, most weeks and then weekends would be free-for-alls. Then the wedding week came along and since then I've really been waffling between being on track all week (except the weekends) and stuffing my face with everything you can imagine. We have been busy, lots of social things scheduled, yet that's no excuse.

Since December I have gained 19 pounds. It's my fault. I have to own it and know that it's not okay. 19 pounds will quickly become 40 and then 80 if I don't get control.

We still have a hectic few weeks coming up, with the house stuff and packing and moving, etc. I have to stay in control. I have to find a way to coexist socially without spiraling into food oblivion. I'm not sure how to get started with it... I know how to talk the talk... it's walking the walk that gets me every time. Yeah sure, I know how to lose weight... and I've even done pretty well maintaining it... but I feel like I swing from extreme to extreme to do so.

I just want to be "normal." I am going on a quest to figure that out.

Squeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!

2011-07-27T08:34:00.000-04:00

Our offer was accepted!!!! I'm so excited.

Now to get started on home inspections, etc. I can't wait to be in our own house as a married couple! It's going to be so much fun!

Waiting Game...

2011-07-26T13:48:00.000-04:00

Whew... I had a good time in Atlanta. Did y'all miss me? We found out while I was there that we didn't get the house we had put the offer on. To be completely honest, I was relieved. I was having a bit of buyer's remorse. So when he countered our offer, we were able to walk away. Crisis averted...

My time in Atlanta was spent eating mostly... Yes, all sorts of bad foods, all day, every day. It is what it is. I didn't run at all while I was gone. I forgot my iPod in Maryland... and while I could've run without it, I chose not to. We'll see what damage that did as I do my runs for this week. 22 miles for the week on tap... split into 4 runs. Should be interesting.

Yesterday we went and looked at more houses and put an offer on another one. And so we wait. As patiently as possible.. we wait.

Have I mentioned that I'm not a very patient person???

Patient, I am not...

2011-07-19T13:06:00.000-04:00

We did it. We wrote an offer on a house. Last night. It's been ~~the longest~~ 17 hours since it was sent to the other real estate agent. Surely that's enough time to make a decision. Anxiousness has set in and all I want to do is eat. Because surely that will make me feel better.

Waiting is not fun. I'm heading to Atlanta tomorrow and it would be nice to find out while I'm still here at home with my husband. We'll see what happens.

Keep your fingers crossed ~~and your food hidden from me.~~

We're Going...

2011-07-15T12:47:00.000-04:00

Are you ready for it?

House-Hunting!!!!!!!!

We got married and now it's time to find a house of our own. We've gotten our pre-approval from our lender. We're using my mom's realtor. We have found some houses in our price range that we're really interested in and we're going to see them this weekend! Woohoo!

Think "Good House Thoughts" for us this weekend. We aren't extremely picky and so we're hopeful that one of the 6 houses we're going to see will be the one. We'll definitely be having inspections, etc. done.

Now, can it be Sunday morning yet?!?!

Have a great weekend everyone!

Busy Bee

2011-07-13T15:15:00.000-04:00

Buzzing around here and there, yet not getting much of anything accomplished. Okay, that's a little bit of a lie. I've done 8 miles in the past two days, so that's something. And my food choices have been stellar! Woohoo!

There are big happenings in the world of Jamie & Blake though... No, I'm not pregnant. More to come in the next few weeks.

For now, I'm looking forward to my trip to Atlanta to spend time with my bestest friend Farrah and her kiddos. It helps that I'll also get to see my friend Allyson and her kiddo too! Woohoo! Double dipping on one trip!

Happy Hump Day y'all!

4 months...

2011-07-11T14:36:00.000-04:00

It's been 4 months since I've worked a full week. And I'm not gonna lie like knowing that doesn't make me want to call in sick this week. How am I going to make it through FIVE WHOLE DAYS? I can't even think about it right now.

It was a busy weekend which included getting the car serviced, my eyes examined (yay for 20/15 in both eyes - oh how Lasik was the best money I ever spent), grocery shopping, Weight Watchers Leadering, hitting the gym (3 miles on Friday and 8 miles on Sunday), an Irish Festival, a BBQ, and a Weight Watchers Staff meeting.

Whew... I'm tired all over again.

I had fun this weekend. I ate too much and I had fun. Too much food at the BBQ followed up with pizza and cookie dough last night (after the 8 mile run - surely it was justified, right?). In my defense... we only ordered a medium pizza... and while yes, I did eat half of that medium pizza... I could easily eat a whole large pizza on any given day. I say it's a WIN.

And now I'll go back to worrying about how I'm going to make it through FOUR MORE WHOLE DAYS.

Right Side of the Bed

2011-07-06T15:13:00.000-04:00

My foul mood remained with me throughout the evening yesterday... I still went to the gym when we got home. I still made the original dinner that was planned (tuna steaks) instead of ordering the pizza that I wanted (and knew I wouldn't control myself around). I went to bed relatively early and read some of my book (on my beloved kindle).

and I'm happy to report that this morning, I woke up on the right side of the bed. My mood has done a total turn-around. I'm my normal, chipper self. I got in my 4 mile workout and I have my last Get Golf Ready class tonight. It's been fun and I've learned alot! I'd definitely recommend the program for anyone who wants to learn the basics of golf. They didn't even pay me to say that... ~~although it would be nice if they would.~~

I hope you all are having a wonderful, wacky Wednesday!

Even though...

2011-07-05T15:18:00.000-04:00

Foul <~~~~My mood is in the tanks.

Even though I had a good three mile run.
Even though I had a healthy breakfast, two snacks, and lunch.

All I can think about is pizza.

Even though I spent the entire weekend shoveling food into my pie hole.
Even though I got back on track yesterday and started eating right again.

I don't feel like working.

Even though I only have a three day week this week.
Even though I usually enjoy my job, for the most part.

Hopefully tomorrow will be a better day.

Switcheroo and a Question for Runners

2011-07-01T14:04:00.000-04:00

I pulled another switcheroo today. My long run (6 miles) was scheduled for Sunday and I just don't see myself getting that in. We'll be partying it up Saturday night and then we'll be at my mom's on Sunday morning. I'm hoping to eek out a 3 miler while I'm down there, but I knew 6 would be pushing it. So I did it today.

6.2 miles in just about 65 minutes!

Now, that brings me to my question. I've been scouring the interwebs and finding all sorts of things about the run/walk method used for marathoning. I can still say I ran the marathon if I enlist this method, right? What I've read says that if you take regularly scheduled walk breaks, you can finish stronger and you are able to recover faster from your long runs. Anyone out there do the run/walk method? What intervals do you use?

Today I did the run 4 minutes, walk 1 minute. I pushed myself harder on the run segments than I have and I was able to finish the 6 miles in less than 60 minutes (59:40). I think that's pretty awesome.

And WW tells me I get 9 Activity PointsPlus Values for it... so I'll take it!

Happy Independence Day Americans and have a great weekend everyone else!!!!

Worth Your Time (a give-away)

2011-07-01T10:54:00.000-04:00

No, it's not mine... I'm not that cool yet.

Tricia over at Endurance Isn't Only Physical is hosting an Allied Medal Display giveway!!!! giveaway! Go and check it out... ~~but please don't enter because I'd really like to win.~~

Cross-what?

2011-06-30T13:44:00.000-04:00

First week of marathon training and I have to do the good ol' switcheroo in the schedule. See, I rested Monday... which meant that today (a designated rest day) was going to be a cross training day. And then this morning I found out that my new badge with my fancy new last name was ready to be picked up...

And so... I walked down to the other building (1 mile away) and back to our building after picking up the badge. 2 miles... 30 minutes... Quick, someone tell me that this counts as my cross training.

Btw... pineapple is salad rocks my socks!

Wordless Wednesday

2011-06-29T14:24:00.000-04:00

I'd rather be snuggled up with him

Sometimes Almost is Good Enough...

2011-06-28T14:27:00.000-04:00

Almost... so close, but not quite.

We went out of town this weekend, for a bowling tournament in Pennsylvania. I'd done everything right.... racked up Activity Points, saved up my weekly points and I was prepared to make it through the weekend unscathed.

It started on Friday. I had a good, healthy breakfast before we left. I took my tracker with me (and lots of gum). We stopped for lunch and I made a healthy choice. Dinner, healthy choice! We decided that Dairy Queen was a good idea, and so I got a small blizzard (instead of the extra large one I wanted).

Saturday, breakfast was free at the hotel and I looked over the buffet and decided on an english muffin w/ pb & a banana. We bowled and then we went to Panera for lunch, where Blake was kind enough to split the pick two with me. I ate the salad & the apple and he ate his sandwich. Next stop, a small winery for some tasting! Still tracking it all.... Dinner was at the race track (we won $$$$) and was relatively healthy. We had dessert... split four-ways with my parents.

Sunday, things started to take a downhill turn. We got down to the free breakfast way late, so there wasn't much left. I had an english muffin w/ pb & jelly. Then it was time to head to the bowling center. The problem... we didn't bowl until 2 p.m. There wasn't much of anything on the menu that was healthy... I could've made a healthier choice though. We all split some cheese fries and onion rings... and then I had M&M's... and twizzlers. For dinner it was Roy Rogers and a few mini candy bars for dessert.

I almost made it through the weekend unscathed.... ALMOST. I declare it good enough though! In the past, it would've been a food free-for-all from Friday morning until Sunday night.

Oh and I'll have you know.. I was back on track 100% yesterday morning! Woot! Go me!

Three Things Thursday

2011-06-23T15:25:00.000-04:00

1. I worked out 2.5 hours ago and my face is still beet red. Surely there is something wrong with me. Someone asked if I have hives. I should've said: "Yes, I'm allergic to your stupidity. Go away."

2. I hate the scale. I think it's time for me to do a "Stay off the Scale" challenge again.

3. I'm going out of town for the weekend... I've mentioned it. I'm still nervous about my food choices, but I'm going into it having had a few really strong weeks and I am pretty sure I can continue the trend.

On that note... it's my Friday and I'm outta here!!!!!

Postponed!

2011-06-22T14:35:00.000-04:00

We didn't go to that gym last night. Nope, we sure didn't. Went straight home, changed into pajamas and lounged/read/made dinner/watched tv. Why, you ask? Blake wasn't feeling well. Now we MUST go next Tuesday. Why Tuesday? The flyer we have says join on a Tuesday and get 1 month free! Woohoo.

It all works out anyway... I have golf lessons tonight and Weight Watchers tomorrow night and then Friday we are leaving for the weekend. So we wouldn't get any use out of the gym. It sorta make sense to wait.. you know, get the most out of that free month!

Dinner - we had tilapia, creamed spinach, and green bean fries. Yum. I swear I could eat green bean fries every single day.

Got a workout in today - riddle me this. I can run on the treadmill for 30+ minutes and yes, I'll be sweaty... but I rode the stationary bike today for 30 minutes and I was DRIPPING sweat. Odd. I definitely feel like I'm working harder when I'm running... So, workout for the day - biking hills for 30 minutes.

It feels good to be on track. And I solved one issue for the weekend of being away - the hotel offers a free complimentary breakfast, including eggs, omelettes, etc. Woohoo! Low points and satisfying! :)

Is That Sunburn?

2011-06-21T14:19:00.000-04:00

I have really enjoyed working out here while I'm at work. The only downfall is that for the immediate hours following my workout, I have tomato face. And everyone looks at me like I've got a scary sunburn. I'm not letting that deter me though!

Today's workout was a 30 minute run on the treadmill... 3 miles. Score. Marathon training begins next week. I'm scared.

Tonight we're going to Retro Fitness to join... they have a killer deal and they play 80's movies (and sometimes 90's and current) all day, every day! My plan is to get cardio in while I'm at work and then get strength work in at the gym close to home. We may invest in a few sessions with a personal trainer. Yes, Blake is joining too. Should be fun.

And how did I do last night? I avoided the binge-monster. I ate a good, healthy dinner and then measured out my ice cream. It was delicious. I'm feeling my confidence rise.

Next challenge - being out of town Friday - Sunday this weekend. What are your "out of town" options for staying on track...? especially when every meal will be eaten out. That means lunch & dinner on Friday, and breakfast, lunch & dinner on Saturday & Sunday.

Help! :)

Is There a Dentist in the House?

2011-06-20T14:58:00.000-04:00

Oh how I wish!

I had a great weekend, filled with lots of fun and laughter. I love good wine, great food, and awesome friends!

Healthy-living wise... probably didn't make the greatest choices and yes, I'm paying for it today. All I want to do is keep on eating. I need a dentist to remove my sweet tooth. Anyone out there a dentist?

I did track everything I ate this weekend though, which is HUGE for me. Usually I just write it off and ignore it. Yeah, cause that works. And I managed to stay exactly the same as last Monday's weigh in. I have mixed feelings about that, but it is what it is. I made the choices and I have to live with them.

I need to get control of my brain and keep myself from thinking it's okay to eat everything in sight tonight, just because Blake won't be home. I must learn to be accountable to myself.

Hakuna Matata

2011-06-17T14:39:00.000-04:00

It means no worries... for the rest of your days!

Don't worry y'all.. my no-show yesterday wasn't because I fell off the deep end into a vat of chocolate! Although, that does sound delicious.

I was feeling a bit under the weather and so I took the day off. I got some rest. I did some cleaning. I did a little shopping. All in all, it was glorious.

Today it's back to the grindstone. Here at work and the day is going well. I'm feeling a bit snacky. I'm controlling the urge though. Blake is at the US Open today and I'm not sure what time he'll be home for dinner. We're thinking maybe Chipotle. I guess we'll decide once he gets home.

I've done my workout for the day. It feels good to be able to say that. Got any fun plans for the weekend?

A good friend is coming to visit me and I'm so excited! Dinner out and then game night in! Party animals!

Humpity Hump Hump

2011-06-15T15:00:00.000-04:00

We're over the hump of Hump Day! Almost to the end of the day! Always a good thing. Even if it isn't Friday yet... At least it's not Monday.

I got home yesterday to find that we had received the printed proofs of our wedding pics! Some of them look so much better in print than they did online! I am so excited to finally receive the DVD with the pictures so we can have them printed in multiple sizes, etc. And so I can share them on here, of course! Wait until you see some of these amazing pictures!

Dinner was a huge success last night. We went out to eat with Blake's dad and step-mom. I had scoured the menu ahead of time and knew I was going to get the Turkey Burger with fresh fruit when I walked in. It was fantastic. Blake got a free dessert and gave me a bite of it, chocolate lava cake! Yum.

Today is his actual Birthday! Happy Birthday Husband... You are the bestest! I love you!

I've gotten my workout in for the day... and news on that front, in addition to the gym here at work, I'm going to join the gym near our house with Blake. It's $19.99 a month and they're running a join for $1 special (and you get one month free if you join on a Tuesday... so you know where I'll be next Tuesday). Woot woot! Golf lesson number 2 tonight.

I'm just full of randomness today, huh?

Target is Dangerous!!!

2011-06-14T15:32:00.000-04:00

Last night, we got home from work and Blake cut the grass. Then we needed to run to Target for a few things (bleach, trash bags, dryer sheets, and fiber one bars). Tell me how we walked into that store and walked out $140 poorer.

We had a cart full of stuff that we will use, but didn't need. Ah well, such is life. Blake's snack drawer was nearly empty anyhow.

Today has been a good day... Work was uneventful and I hit the gym again. I'm enjoying the gym, but I'm not sure how people do the treadmill so often. I have to do intervals, etc. to keep myself from being bored out of my mind. My food is on point and I've been tracking! Woohoo. Today makes 8 days straight of every single bite tracked!

Tonight is dinner out with Blake's parents for his birthday... I will remember that it's not MY birthday we're celebrating. No going overboard!

Meandering through Monday....

2011-06-13T14:17:00.000-04:00

Weekend = Success!

Saturday evening we went out to dinner with my parents, at a little hole in the wall cafe. The food was delicious and I was completely worried for no reason! I enjoyed a glass of wine and a few of the greek nacho appetizer (delicious!!!!). Then I ordered the honey blackened salmon, which came with wild rice and the veggie of the day. I was pleasantly surprised when they delivered the plate to me with portions of food that I would've given myself had I been at home! Score one for that cafe! Of course, dessert was consumed and one more glass of wine when we got home.

And the real success - I tracked it all!!!!

Sunday, I got up and I walked on my parent's treadmill. Then we had breakfast down the street and the service left a whole lot to be desired. Then we took the boat out. It was Radar's first boat ride! He liked the boat, though in the beginning he kept trying to climb off. We stopped and we put him in the water for the first time and he didn't like that very much at all. I hope it's because he didn't have any land around for him to grab onto. He had a life jacket on, but he was so scared, he kept trying to climb up on me (essentially trying to drown me). We had fresh (free) steamed crabs for dinner and then headed on home.

It was a wonderful weekend.

Today is shaping up to be a good day. I've got it all planned out and I've already hit the gym!

And it's my momma's birthday too! Happy Birthday Mom!!!

Friday Four

2011-06-10T14:53:00.000-04:00

1. Passports cost way too much money. Blake and I are going on a cruise with my parents next January and we had to get passports this morning. $300 later, our applications are on the way and we should expect to receive them in 6 to 8 weeks.

2. Produce costs too much. After the passports, I went to the grocery store, where I racked up another $130. $50 of that was in the produce section. I will say, I am the queen of picking out the greatest pineapple ever. Yum.

3. I'm going shopping in a few hours... I need some more summer dresses. I'm sure they'll cost too much too.

4. Tomorrow we are going to my parent's house for the weekend. It should be a good time. We're taking my mom out to dinner for her birthday and then Sunday we'll have crabs and go for a boat ride... along with playing on the jetski. That reminds me... I need to buy sunscreen, which will inevitably cost too much.

Enjoy the weekend y'all!

Get Golf Ready and 21 days!

2011-06-09T15:24:00.000-04:00

I'm taking golf lessons. Actually, I signed up for an awesome program called Get Golf Ready. Five classes. $99. And by the end, I'll be a pro! Right? HA! Doubtful... but I'll know enough to go out and play some golf with Blake.

I've been meaning to take this class for a couple years now and I finally just decided... now is the time. Last night was class one. Putting. It was a lot of fun actually. I was nervous going in... was I going to look stupid? Was I going to send the ball flying when it's supposed to stay on the ground? No, and no.

Plus, it got me out of the house, in the gazillion degree heat, and away from food. After the class, we stopped and grabbed Chipotle for dinner... don't worry, I got the bowl with only half the rice! :)

Also - I joined a challenge with a bunch of my friends who have also been struggling. We had to pick something to focus on for 21 days. One can do anything for 21 days, right?

It started on Tuesday (though I started Monday). My challenge for myself: Track. Every meal. Every day. 21 days.

You might think - that's easy! I have a lot of stuff going on though and that's when I generally throw tracking to the wind. So, from June 7 to June 28 (and much longer is the plan), I will track.

What's going on between now and then? This weekend we are taking my mom out for her birthday dinner, next week we have Blake's birthday, and a friend visiting on Saturday next weekend. Then the weekend following that, we'll be in Pennsylvania.

Traveling, birthdays, etc. All of these things tend to get in my way and take my mind off the goal.

So - what do you want to commit to for 21 days?

Let's Take A Spin...

2011-06-08T15:26:00.001-04:00

A Spin Off, that is... Smaller Fun Pants blogged today about how to stop eating as a knee jerk reaction. I do the same thing... but that post got me thinking.

Monday night, while I was home alone, contemplating a binge a well-meaning friend told me to watch a movie or read a book so I wouldn't think about food. And I got to thinking... I spend most of my time, both awake and alseep, thinking of food.

What I just ate, what I'm going to eat next, what I'm going to eat when I go to dinner with my parents this weekend, what I'll eat when I take Blake out for his birthday next week, what I'll eat when my friend comes to visit next weekend, what I'll eat when we're in Pennsylvania in a few weeks...

What am I going to eat in the morning? What am I going to eat for dinner? What about dessert? What should I buy for lunches next week and breakfasts? Which foods are best for me? Which foods I really want, but know I can't control myself around.

This can't be healthy, can it? Am I alone? Does anyone else out there constantly think of food?

My well meaning friend's suggestion was a good one.. for most people, I assume. I, however, am the queen of multi-tasking when it comes to food. It's easy peasy to watch a movie and eat... same as a read a book. I can eat in the tub or if I go sit on the porch. Often times I end up taking a nap, because at least then I'm just dreaming about food instead of fighting the urge to eat it.

Has anyone battled this? Conquered it?

Over It

2011-06-07T14:31:00.000-04:00

Yesterday I found out that The Truth Hurts and I truly appreciate all of your comments. I did not kick or maim the little old ~~bitch~~ lady, but I can't say I didn't consider it. I went home and was happy to have the support of your comments. They truly helped keep me from binging last night.

You see, I was going home to an empty house... and that is one of my most difficult times. Add to that, the sadness I was feeling yesterday and it was a recipe for disaster. I decided to man up though and take care of myself. I did the laundry and then I fixed a healthy dinner of 2 fried eggs, in 1 tsp olive oil; 2 slices of bacon, and toast (for dipping, of course). With a glass of skim deluxe milk.

I ended the evening with a Fiber One Bar for dessert.

How did I keep myself from binging? Well, it took a lot of thought and a good book. I made it about 40% through a book I just downloaded to the Kindle yesterday. It's a great read, I'll do a review once I'm completely finished!

And good news - I brought my clothes to hit the gym today and actually went! I did a Tight-N-Tone strength training class. I was the only person in the class though, so talk about personal attention. My legs are quivering as I type.

I'm feeling good today. Happy. Motivated. I'm OVER the comments from the old hag.

Thanks y'all for your support. It's good to be back!

The Truth Hurts...

2011-06-06T15:36:00.000-04:00

Yes it does. And sometimes makes you want to cry.

I know, I've been gone for a while. I probably lost some readers. Thanks to those of you who patiently waited for me to get my head back on straight. You'll have to keep on waiting, because it's not quite there yet. I am working on it though.

This afternoon, I was sitting here in my cube eating my cubed watermelon when this little old ~~bitch~~ lady walks in to hand me a piece of mail. She walks in and says: "So Jamie... I see you've gained some weight back, you know, you really need to get control of that. It's not easy... just look at Oprah how she lost and gained and lost and gained." All the while I sat there with a dumbfounded look on my face.

Is it a secret that I've seriously slacked off since December? Is it a secret that while I'm still considered a "healthy" weight for my height that I've gained 17 pounds since December? No, apparently it's not. The cat is out of the bag.

Thing is... I had already recommitted myself to my healthiness journey this morning. I spent the past 5 months goofing off and it's been increasingly clear to myself that I was gaining weight. My clothes are all too tight and uncomfortable. I refuse to buy bigger clothes. So, I planned out my day. I came into work and joined the gym we have downstairs (because I've come to the conclusion that I'm just not going to go outside to run while it's a bazillion degrees out there). I ate my healthy food and didn't once think about going to the vending machine...

Until the visit from the little old ~~bitch~~ lady. Now I just want to bury myself in a chocolate cake, with a side of potato chips.

I won't do it though. I will go home, eat a healthy dinner and pack my clothes for the gym tomorrow. Tomorrow, I plan to come here and report that I had a completely on plan day.

Forget about that old hag... I can do this.

Pinches Self

2011-05-10T11:25:00.000-04:00

Okay, so I pulled a little disappearing act, huh? I promise I have a good reason... you see, I went on vacation. And during that vacation, I got married!

I will share a few pictures here... and come back to do a full recap soon. Let's just say I had an amazing week and would love to move to St. Augustine... No really... anyone know of any jobs down there?

Okay... some taken by friends/parents, some taken by Scott S. Smith (awesome photographer in Florida if you're looking), all will be loved and cherished forever!

Getting dressed!

Don't mess with a girl & her cake!

Awesome pic by Allyson!

My niece Lily!

Such an awesome experience

They're all my favorites!

It was such a neat experience

A Teaser of our take on the "behind the door" shots

Wildflowers by the beach

Such a great gift!

I hope you enjoy the pictures! There will be more to come in time... I can't wait to see all of them!

Breaking Up Is Hard To Do

2011-04-13T08:38:00.000-04:00

Dear Scale,

I'm calling it quits. It's time to break it off. We've gotten too serious and I need to stop focusing on you. I need to start focusing on me. I'd say it's not you, it's me... but we both know that's not the case. You taunt me every chance you get. So it's totally you. I've had enough of your going up for no reason. I will dutifully do my employee Weigh In once a month for Weight Watchers, however for the time being I will no longer use you at my house.

I haven't let you have an effect on my moods and that's good, but I still can't stop thinking about the number. The only way for me to do that is to stop looking at the number. So good-bye scale. It's been fun... or not really so much.

Signed,

Feeling Free for Once

Manic Monday...

2011-04-11T13:05:00.000-04:00

Much of Friday was spent thinking - will I have to work next week or not? You see, I'm a federal employee. And not that I wanted to see anyone go without pay, I was secretly hoping for a couple days off. I have a wedding coming up, you know???

And I feel like there is a ton to do and no time to do it. Work? You expect me to WORK? Hmph, fine.

In weight loss/maintenance/exercise news... not much to report. I'm keepin' on keepin' on. My clothes fit nicely. I haven't exercised, well except for the majority of week 1 of Ripped in 30 yesterday, which nearly killed me. I'll tell you what - eat before you do that dvd, please. I will do it again tonight. And I plan to go for a family walk with Blake and the pup. So that's something.

22 days until the wedding!!!!

Hostage!

2011-04-06T14:35:00.001-04:00

My computer was holding my blog hostage! And most of yours too. It wouldn't let me access my page or my dashboard. It made me want to cry.

My allergies are crazy today. My eyes itch like crazy and it makes it look like I have been crying. I might cry tonight. I get my wedding dress altered, which means I get to put it on again... and I'll get to see it with my shoes. Yay. It will be good tears if there are tears at all.

In other news, I got the link to the pictures from the 10-miler. Holy expensive picture prices batman. I found out that I'm a total ham though. You see... the people I ran with, they each had three or four pictures. I had ELEVEN. Yes, that's right. I hammed it up for the camera.

I'm going to put the link here so you can see what I mean...

Click here to see Jams hamming it up!

Be sure to come back and laugh at with me. :)

Monday Musings

2011-04-04T09:09:00.000-04:00

As evidenced by the fact that I'm posting, I did survive the 10 mile race! Actually, I was pretty darn impressed with myself to tell you the truth. I ran the whole thing with Blake's step-sisters. I felt pretty good through the whole thing. I will say that I doubt I'll do that race again. It was very pretty to run through the monuments and to see all the Cherry Blossoms though. It was just an extremely crowded race. I spent just as much time watching for rogue elbows as I did looking at the sights!

We finished in 1:47:55, so a pace of 10:48/mile. Considering I hadn't really trained for it, I think that was pretty good. Especially since I think we would've finished at least a few minutes earlier had we not had to fight our way through the crowd. It really takes a lot of energy to bob and weave through everyone.

Here's a picture before the race:

That's me on the left... and Blake's step-sister's with me.

In other news....

My wedding shoes arrived the other day and I absolutely LOVE them. We have 29 days from today and I'm really getting excited now. I have to take care of some little things and everything should be set.

Bring on the cake!

RIGHT?

2011-03-31T13:55:00.000-04:00

Anyone there? *ping*

Okay, now that you're awake. Someone tell me that this 10 mile run isn't going to kill me on Sunday (keep in mind that I haven't trained, unless you count slacking as training). I have to finish in at least 2 hours and 20 minutes or I'll get swept off the course. I did my half-marathon in 2 hours and 21 minutes, surely I can do 10 miles in less than that, right? RIGHT?

Anyhow... we had our sundae (I shared it with Blake). It was delicious and then I proceeded to eat anything and everything that got in my way. Just call me Mrs. PacMan. It happens sometimes though, right? RIGHT?

And for the best news of the day/week/month... My dress arrived on Tuesday! And it fits... IT FITS! Needs to be taken in some even. I have an alterations appointment on Wednesday. I ordered my shoes too! And they're being delivered tomorrow. Please let them be comfortable.

Oh yes... in the red. I'm gonna be hot.... right? RIGHT?

Peace out!

Don't Try to Stop Me...

2011-03-24T12:10:00.000-04:00

We're heading to Pittsburgh tomorrow and we're going to go to the Ice Cream Parlor that was featured on Man Vs. Food. And I'm going to order this:

SUPER BOWL SUNDAE...$16.00*Your Choice of 8 Fat Scoops of Ice Cream
*Strawberrys, Cherries, and Pineapple
*Fresh Bananas
*Crushed Nuts
*All Flavors of Whipped Cream
*Jimmys and Sprinkles
*A Subtle Decoration And a Cherry on Top

I'm telling you... don't try to stop me. I can do it! It may be all I eat all weekend, but oh it looks heavenly. And they take your picture and put it on the wall. Yep, I'm gonna be THAT girl. Maybe if he's nice, I'll share a bite with Blake. But only a bite, and ONLY if he's nice.

What do you have planned for this weekend?

Feeling Fat?

2011-03-23T08:56:00.000-04:00

I came across this article today and it really made me do a double-take. It sent my brain into overdrive. You may find the full text of the article here. The part that really made me think was this though:

"One solution to the "I feel fat syndrome" is to remember fat is not a feeling. That is, you don't feel blond hair or freckled. You also do not feel fat. Yes, you may be feeling uncomfortable with your body. But you are really feeling imperfect, inadequate, insecure, anxious--and any number of other feelings that get described as feeling fat."

Fat is not a feeling? Huh? But I've said it so many times. I've heard it more often than I've said it. Yet, it never occurred to me until this morning that fat isn't a feeling. It was like being hit in the head with a rubber mallet. Duh.

So, the next time I wake up and have that "feeling," I will know not to characterize it as fat. I'll dig deeper and figure out what is bothering me at the moment. I want to challenge you to do the same thing... since now we all know that fat is not a feeling.

I am happy to report that I've made it through my candy craving without a spiral (and without overindulgence). I've reminded myself that each night I get to have a Cadbury Creme Egg (until Easter is gone away) and that we have a trip to Pittsburgh Friday. So we'll at least have a few meals out this week where I won't be so strict with myself. I can hold off until then and make sure I get something delicious.

In other news... I've decided that after my employee weigh in for April (which I will do on April 2), I will be putting the scale away until after the wedding. I don't want to focus on the number and that's all I seem to do any more.

The final thing I will share with you today - Jillian is plain evil... but I love her. Week 3 of Ripped in 30 is insane. I should have ripped arms in no time flat!

Remember the challenge - Fat is NOT a feeling!

I Want Candy!

2011-03-21T08:48:00.000-04:00

Peanut Butter Cups. Cadbury Mini Eggs. Hershey Kisses. Caramello. Clark bar. All of the above, please.

I've had a good week and weekend. I've stayed on track and I've exercised. I woke up this morning and ALL I can think about is candy. Gooey chocolate. Chewy caramel. Sweet sweet peanut butter filling.

You might think - go ahead and have a piece of candy. Deep down I know what that will cause though. A spiral. A deep spiral and I cannot afford that right now. 43 days until the wedding and this weekend we'll be in Pittsburgh, which means eating out for at least a few meals. I don't have the greatest track record for making wonderful choices.

So I'll sit here and day dream about candy. Unless someone has the key to being able to eat just one piece and be satisfied?!?! Anyone?

Wordless Wednesday

2011-03-16T13:53:00.000-04:00

Well, almost.

I'd much rather be doing this:

7 Weeks!

2011-03-15T13:57:00.000-04:00

7 weeks from today...

49 days...

Until we say "I do." I'm getting super excited and nervous all at the same time. My dress isn't going to arrive until the first week of April. Surprisingly, I'm okay with that. I have no idea what shoes I'm going to get and don't want to pick them until the dress arrives. I ordered the favors for the picnic this morning.

My next task is to figure out what to put in the Welcome bags for the guests who are coming to the ceremony in Florida. Anyone have any suggestions?

In food and exercise news... the scale showed me up 0.4 this morning (from last Tuesday) and I'm considering hiding it again as I'm annoyed at it. Food-wise, I've done really well. There was the DQ Blizzard the other day, but that's the only big treat I've had in a while. Exercise-wise - I'll just say that Jillian is pure evil. And as much as I want to hate it, I can't. I love how evil she is.

Ripped in 30 is awesome. I did Week 2 for the first time yesterday and so far, the DVD gets two thumbs up from me. Except my thumbs hurt, so just picture them as up.

Just Call Me Poof!

2011-03-14T12:59:00.000-04:00

Sorry for the disappearing act y'all! Last week was a busy, busy one. Between work actually making me earn my moola and finalizing plans for the wedding... I looked like chicken with my head cut off running around here.

I threw myself into Jillian's Ripped in 30 dvd... and I'm loving it so far. I'm going to do Week 2 today. Hopefully I live to tell the tale about it.

I went for a run yesterday... more of a run/walk. 7 miles, give or take. I felt awful the whole time. Like my shoes were full of lead. It could've been the fact that I was running into the wind for a good part of it. At any rate, something's gotta give. I have to run 10 miles in less than 3 weeks. I better get on that.

I replenished myself with a nice elk burger and a DQ blizzard. Yum.

Oh! and I picked up my wedding band on Friday! It's so pretty!!!! :) I can't wait to wear it!

This weekend flew by too fast, and this week is looking pretty busy too. I hope you had a great weekend and that you're having a wonderful Monday!

Bad News and Good News...

2011-03-07T13:58:00.002-05:00

Which do you want first?

The bad news, you say? Okay. Blake was unable to get his leave approved for the Shamrock Half-Marathon. *tear* So we won't be going. It makes me sad, but I'm trying to remember that everything happens for a reason. We haven't trained for this race like we should've, so maybe this happened to keep one of us from being injured. Who knows.

I still have the 10-miler coming up on April 3 in DC. I'll look forward to that.

The good news:

I drowned my sorrows in clothing, instead of food this weekend. We went shopping and I bought a bunch of new stuff. The Limited was having their suit event ($100 off every suit) and I just couldn't pass it up. So I bought 3 new suits (one pant suit and two skirt suits). Of course I'm wearing one today, so I'm feeling extra sassy! I also got a bunch of shirts and a dress & skirt that were on the clearance rack. (((((sales))))

All of these pictures are from The Limited.

This jacket

this shirt & that skirt ~~>

This is what I'm wearing today. My phone camera isn't cooperating, so this is as good as it gets. I also have on patterned nude tights and boots.

New clothes can make anything better!

Who wants to pay the bill when it comes? Any takers?

In other news... I did that Ripped in 30 on Saturday and I'm still feeling the pain. I'm doing it again tonight. My plan is 5 to 6 days a week until the wedding. Ripped in 57. I should look pretty dang hot (or hotter than I already am). Please don't burst my big headed bubble! :)

Ripped In 30...

2011-03-05T21:50:00.002-05:00

Described in one word:

OUCH

the end.

I'm Not Dead..

2011-03-03T20:42:00.000-05:00

Sick, but not dead.

Jillian arrived at my door yesterday, in the form of her new Ripped in 30 dvd. I'm excited to try it. Hopefully I will be able to breath well enough to do that this weekend.

I hope you're all doing well. I'm going back to lay down now.

MARCH!

2011-03-01T14:49:00.000-05:00

I need someone to come and make a to-do list for me. I'm sure I have seventy-gazillion things to do for the wedding that I am forgetting about. While you're at it, put exercise on that list too.

I've decided that March is going to be a fantastic month. April and May too.

The half-marathon is in 19 days (there's an 8k we're doing in 18 days). I will survive this race. I'd like to say that I'll still meet my goal of a less than 2 hour time... it's doubtful though. I'm going to aim for it and see what happens? You know why? Because you never know until you try. If it happens, I'll be over the moon excited. If it doesn't happen, I'll still be over the moon excited because Blake will have done the race with me... and we're stopping at my friend Vitt's house on the way home for some good home-cooking, courtesy of Pie Hole. I can't wait to taste all the delicious food. She's so wonderful to feed us after the race!

After that race, I'll focus in on the Cherry Blossom 10-Miler in DC (April 3) and in between and through the wedding I'll be getting Ripped in 30 by Jillian. It should arrive Thursday. I can't wait!

I'm still not feeling 100% today, so my plan is to go home, do my Weight Watchers flip charts, eat brinner and veg out with a good book. I'll pile some activity into the end of this week and hopefully I won't keel over at the half-marathon in less than 3 weeks!

Good-bye February

2011-02-28T12:44:00.000-05:00

February hasn't been the most amazing month for me... food & exercise-wise. I'm cool with that. I'm ready for March to roll in. Lots of good things will be happening in March.

For example, this is being released tomorrow:

Source

And I am insanely excited about that (and the fact that hopefully it will be in my hands by the end of this week - or so says Amazon). Does that make me a sick individual?

Also, we'll be running the Shamrock Half-Marathon (hopefully without dying given the fact that I've trained very little for this race). And we're attending a hockey game in Pittsburgh too.

It's going to be a great month!

64 days until the wedding!

See y'all tomorrow!

A Mental Struggle

2011-02-25T12:35:00.000-05:00

And yes, I realize there are tons of people who would like to be in my shoes... err... skin... whatever.

So, the struggle..

Am I at my happy weight? What is my happy weight? I had a goal set when I came back to Weight Watchers in 2008... it was the same as my previous goal from my stint with Weight Watchers. It was at the top of the healthy weight range for my height. I knew that's not where I really wanted to end up. So I pushed past it, ultimately getting to the next goal I set for myself. That was 130. Then, through September, October, and the beginning of November I found myself down near 120.

Lately I've been hovering between 125 and 130. I'm struggling with the thought of maintaining though. Is that good enough? Do I need to lose weight? No, I know I don't. Am I happy where I am, therefore at my happy weight? I don't know!

I just don't know. And I don't know how to "know." the answer to that. You see... even though I've been at "goal" for almost two years now (wow... ) I still haven't figured that completely out. I still have days where I wake up and in the mirror I see shadows of my old self. How long will that last? How will I know that this is "right?"

And yes.. I do realize it's not really about the number... I'm not so much as worried about the number on the scale as I am how will I know if it's "right?" If I'm happy at this weight?

And now, after writing this all out, it just seems silly. *sigh*

Shooting Myself In the Foot - A Giveaway

2011-02-23T12:30:00.000-05:00

It's not my giveaway... and no, I didn't really shoot myself in the foot. Although, telling y'all about this giveaway might do it for me. I really want to win... So y'all run, don't walk over and see Kimberly (she's pregnant and awesome)... ~~but don't enter the giveaway, cause I really want to win~~

Original Giveaway Post
The Loot

There you have it... Go ahead. Look. You know you want to!

Blueberry + Bacon + Waffle... Huh?

2011-02-22T09:52:00.000-05:00

Yesterday I mentioned the Blueberry Waffle Bacon casserole thingie I made... and Kimberly over at Healthy Strides asked me what on earth I was talking about. Not wanting to disappoint a pregnant lady, I figured I'd designate an entire post to it.

I will first admit that Vittoria over at Pie Hole sent me the original recipe and the convinced me it would be okay to make it in an 8x8 dish instead of the ramekins since no one sells 8 oz ramekins.

I tried the final product this morning, after being very afraid that the waffles would be soggy. And we all know, soggy waffles = epic fail. I am very happy to report that the blueberry waffle bacon mush (I mixed mine all together) was delicious.

This is what it "should" look like:

Source

You will find the original recipe at that source link as well. Note, I changed mine using 6 egg whites and I used 6 pieces of the center cut bacon we buy (I think it's Oscar Meyer).

Check back with me around noon to see how long it kept me satisfied.

Enjoy y'all!

Running My Mouth

10 Days

Hopeful...

33 Years in the Making...

Scared...

Marathoner...

I Ran Richmond...

Two Things Thursday

If I Say So Myself...

Let's Be Honest...

7 Days, 19 Hours

I've Done It Again...

Finally Friday

Sometimes It Happens..

Something... Anything...

Less than 4 Hours...

Perception

Fears

Hump

Online Shopping Success!

Favereds

Three Things Thursday

Wordless Wednesday

Seriously?!?!?

Relaxed...

Maybe...

Worried..

Crinkle Cut Carrots

Friday Fun Day

Three Things Thursday

Is It Possible?

Tuesday Thoughts

Executive Decision

50... Fifty... Five-Oh

Scatter Away...

Connected

Everyday I'm Strugglin...

Three Things Thursday

Snappity Snap Snap

Four for Friday

Rude Awakening...

*Exhale*

Stress Ball

Pizza Face...

Pins & Needles

I Might Be Insane...

Best Laid Plans...

Did I Mention?

The Long One...

and the verdict is...

Three Things Thursday

I'm Pouting.

Ouch...

Temporarily Sidelined...

As History Repeats Itself...

Squeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!

Waiting Game...

Patient, I am not...

We're Going...

Busy Bee

4 months...

Right Side of the Bed

Even though...

Switcheroo and a Question for Runners

Worth Your Time (a give-away)

Cross-what?

Wordless Wednesday

Sometimes Almost is Good Enough...

Three Things Thursday

Postponed!

Is That Sunburn?

Is There a Dentist in the House?

Hakuna Matata

Humpity Hump Hump

Target is Dangerous!!!

Meandering through Monday....

Friday Four

Get Golf Ready and 21 days!

Let's Take A Spin...

Over It

Exhale

Pinches Self