Saturday, January 30, 2010

the power of three

I was really intimidated by week three of the program... and pretty much every week after week two. Now I realize that my fear is the reason why I never kept going. I doubted myself and my ability to push that hard.

This morning I felt like a lamb headed to the slaughter as I got up and ready to head to the gym. I was so nervous that my stomach condition was flaring up and I had to take medicine for it for the first time in almost 2 weeks.

When I got down there though I had my music going and I just busted it out. I told myself not to look at the timer on the treadmill and just focus on the music or a spot on the wall. And you know what? I got through it. The last three minute jog I really had to dig in and push but this entire time I have had to push... it's the point of even trying this.

I'm really proud of myself right now. Of course, my music helped keep my focus off of the difficulty and on the positive. Today Lose my breath by Destiny's Child helped me get past my mental barrier about that 3 minute jog and helped set the tone for the workout.

Friday, January 29, 2010

my husband rocks Friday

This week has been so long and tiring. Last night I was so tired I forgot to set my alarm! Thankfully Steve had his set for 6am so I managed to get up and out the door not too far behind schedule.

In my hurry to get ready though I forgot to pack a lunch. It looks like I will be stopping by Subway this afternoon!

Steve has done such a good job with our finances... so much better than I could hope to do. He's worked it out so that we finally have extra money for shopping! This weekend we will be headed to the Tanger outlets in Bluffton, SC to give our wardrobes an upgrade. The fact that my husband not only saved up shopping money for us but is voluntarily spending the day at the outlets with me is why he rocks this week. :) I'm a lucky lady!

Wednesday, January 27, 2010

I'm so cool

Ok, not really. I'm actualy a pretty big nerd. But, I did finish week 2 of the C25K today and THAT is pretty coool... which makes me cool by association right? Right?

I've attempted the C25K challenge three times now and this is the first time I have ever finished week 2. It's a great feeling of accomplishment. It's also a bit scary since this means I have to move on to week three. Mayeb I should begin developing my mental pep-talk now.

As a side note, I noticed after this morning's workout that my calf muscles are getting a little bit of definition to them! Maybe this isn't exciting to other people but I'm over the moon about it. That litttle bit of definition is proof that my body is feeling the effects of all this new exercise and I'm on the right track.

Also, while driving around lost trying to meet Steve for lunch this week I found a park! I will be checking this place out. Maybe I can try running outside for a change.

I leave you with the songs that helped me out today. The first is Misery Business by Paramore which played as I was streatching and warming up... it got me very much in the right mindset. The second is Eye of the Tiger. I have no idea who it's by just that it's an amazing song and it came on during the last 3 minutes of my workout and helped me finish with a bang. Sorry there are no links... I have faith in your incredible youtube skills until my computer decides to cooperate. :)

Saturday, January 23, 2010

can I get your opinion please?

Since I haven't had my hair cut since before the wedding I've decided that it is time to make a change. The only thing is... I'm a little bit indecisive and I have a hard time determining what looks good on me.

So.... I've narrowed the choices down and would love it if those of you who read this blog could vote for which option you think would look best.

Option #1 - revisiting a cut I've had before:
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Option #2 - something a little more simple with no bangs:
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Option #3 - a more blunt cut. Still simple but with bangs. And don't worry... I would keep it brunette. :)
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leave your vote in the comments!

starting week 2 strong

I survived the first day of C25K week 2! This week the schedule has me running in 90 second intervals with a two minute brisk walk in between for recovery for a total of 20 minutes.

Let me just say for the record that this program is no joke. It continues to kick my butt each day I get on that treadmill. In some weird way though, I'm starting to enjoy it. I feel so proud of myself when I'm done for being strong enough to push my body like that... for not giving up when it gets hard. That feeling is addictive.

I've also come to the conclusion that my music is a major tool in keeping me going. When I get to about the 15 minute mark I have found that from that point on I need some strong music to help me push through to the end. Today the two that really helped me out were Saving Jane's Girl Next Door and No Doubt's Hella Good. The second song in particular really gave that extra push I needed.

BTW, please direct your attention to the left of the blog. I have made a special section to display the songs that really help me push through my workouts. I know I love hearing what helps other people when they run and I figured I couldn't be the only one. This way people don't have to sift through all of my posts just to find the link they want. If anyone has anything they would like to recommend you are more than welcome!

Friday, January 22, 2010

TGIF!!!

It's finally friday!

So far it looks like Steve and I are in for a quiet weekend at home and that is just fine with me. :)

It seems like we have been going non stop since Christmas and it will be so nice to have two days to just take it easy and enjoy life. Of course, it won't be ALL easy since I will be running Saturday morning and attempting the 30 day shred on Sunday... but still, not too much to ask out of an entire weekend.

This week, my husband rocks because he figured out the issue with my phone's memory card and made it work again. The music playing while I work out is all thanks to him. :)

Thursday, January 21, 2010

success!

Yesterday I finished up week 1 of the C25K program! Woo hoo! Saturday I start week 2 which, although I've attempted the C25K twice before, I've never gotten past the middle of the week. Finishing week two of the program is definitely a big mental hurdle for me but I'm up for the challenge.

Speaking of challenges that I am up for, I've decided on the 5k I would like to sign up for as a sort of C25K final exam. Before I tell you about the 5k I want to show you what I plan to wear while running it:
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Cute right?

Anyway, I've decided to sign up for the Fallen Heroes of Georgia 5K sponsored by Operation One Voice. The organization benefits the families of those who have given their lives for our country and the proceeds from the 5K will go towards their various programs. So.... this means I have an official date set for my goal of running a 5K and that is April 10, 2010.

Monday, January 18, 2010

bittersweet

Let me preface this by saying, I am not going to allow the negative to overtake the positive. However, I'm also not going to ignore the negative completely because it's unhealthy and will only hinder my progress.

Today was my second C25K workout and it was HARD. It wasn't so much the physical difficulty (although, make no mistake, I was definitely pushing myself in that respect) but the mental aspect. For some reason I could not get my brain on board with the concept of working out. I got up and stretched and got my music going but I could not get myself in the right mindset.

When I did week1 day 1 on Saturday the music was awesome, I kept cheering myself on throughout and it was great. Today was the complete opposite of that. I kept trying to rationalize walking the rest of the 30 minutes or even stopping all together. I must have come up with a million excuses. Finally, I convinced myself that I would at least finish today's workout and evaluate how I felt about it afterwards.

After running and doing pushups (part of the 100 pushup challenge) I still felt like running sucks and my arms were tired and I didn't want to do it anymore. This sour mood followed me while I was getting cleaned up and into the kitchen for breakfast. Mad at myself, I reached for the cocoa puffs cereal. At that moment my mind screamed at me "running doesn't suck nearly as bad as living with diabetes would".

It was enough to shake me out of my funk and I am happy to report that I had a bowl of oatmeal instead of the cocoa puffs and I'm still planning on keeping my date with the treadmill Wednesday morning. True to my discovery the other day, it seems that my success with this attempt to get healthy depends on my desire to avoid diabetes and other chronic health problems more so than anything else.

I would also like to say a big thank you to the people I know who have done or are doing this program. It's awesome to read your blogs about the ups and downs of getting healthy and knowing I have such a great support system through this.

Song for the day: Defying Gravity - Glee cast

Saturday, January 16, 2010

Call me Columbus, I've made a discovery.

Last night Steve and I watched the season premier of the Biggest Loser for this year (don't you love DVR?). This morning I was motivated to wake up early and get back on track with the couch to 5K program.

After I finished my workout (week one, day one completed... woohoo!) I got to thinking about why the biggest loser was so motivating and my closet full of clothes that don't fit is not. Why pictures of me at my skinniest wearing a bikini at the beach don't encourage me to get up and run but watching a 526 pound guy weighing in on the BL ranch does.

That's when I realized that each time in the past that I got physically fit and healthy was the direct result of negative reinforcement. For those unfamiliar with the term: if I do something good, then something unpleasant will be taken away.

Case-in-point: When this picture was taken (when I was at my goal weight)

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I was working as a nanny and walking a couple miles each morning to entertain the children while downtown and then running around all afternoon playing with them. Both of these actions kept them from screaming all day. Negative reinforcement.

I think that my motivation to run this morning may have been so strong because I'm hoping that by doing so I will avoid becoming like these people

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or being diagnosed with a chronic disease like diabetes. Maybe if I focus on what consequences I'll avoid by getting in shape rather than than the benefits I'll gain I'll be more successful and stick to the plan.

Stay tuned for the results of this experiment...

On a side note, I'd like to thank Britney Spears for her song "Piece of me" and Jem for her song "They". Those songs came on during the last two running intervals of my workout and helped me push through and finish the workout without cutting corners.

Friday, January 15, 2010

My husband rocks!

It's finally friday! Woohoo!

Maybe the fact that there is a long weekend coming up has thrown me off but this week has completely dragged on. Last night I worked the evening shift at work too so today I am pretty much a zombie. It's not a pretty sight.

The good thing about last night was that 1) I still got a hot, yummy home made dinner even though I never left my desk and 2) I didn't have to deal with rush hour traffic.

Steve brought me some of the apple bacon BBQ chicken I made in the crockpot for my dinner last night and I was incredibly grateful. That, my friends, is why my husband rocks this week. :)

Thursday, January 14, 2010

trying something new

I've read a lot of articles and posts on friends' blogs about the benefits of waking up early. Not just waking early out of necessity for work/ school etc., but making a choice to wake up early every day whether you have somewhere to be or not.

I haven't found any health benefits directly related to this but there seem to be several practical benefits. It's time where the house is generally quiet, most people aren't awake yet so they won't distract you with a million calls or emails. There is no rush to get out the door so you have time for a good breakfast and a calm morning routine... that right there will help keep your daily stress level down. In general, you have more uninterrupted time to put to productive use whether that is working towards your goals or fitting in a little "me time".

There are several other benefits and very few negatives. You'll have to go to bed earlier and you might miss the second half of American Idol but really.... that's the point of Tivo and DVR.

With all of this in mind, I've decided to try waking up early on a daily basis and see how I feel. Maybe if I get in the habit of waking up early I can re-introduce running to my morning routine and it won't feel like punishment. :)

Ben Franklin once said: "early to bed, early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise". I guess we are about to find out!

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

change of plans

As most of you know, the plan for this semester was that I would be going back to school part time to finish my degree. I was actually really looking forward to making some forward progress on that goal. However, school is being postponed another semester due to the fact that I'm not elligible for any financial aid. None. zip. nada.

I'm pretty bummed about it. The worst part is that all I can do to resolve the matter is meet with a financial aid counselor after I fill out my FAFSA for next year to make sure it doesn't happen again.

On a much lighter note, I'm really excited about the recipes I found in my new crockpot cook book and have instituted Thursday night as "crockpot dinner" night. Since I work the night shift that night each week fixing something in the crock pot before I head out to work means that Steve and I still get something warm and yummy (and healthy) for dinner! It's a win-win situation.

Here is our meal plan for the week:
Sun: pulled pork (with a new BBQ sauce I got as a Christmas gift! It was delicious!)
Mon: spaghetti with garlic bread
Tues: breakfast (eggs, bacon and rye toast) - for dessert we had emergency chocolate cake and I think this recipe is somethign every chocolate lover should have on hand.
Wed: Greek Chicken
Thurs: apple bacon chicken in the crockpot
Fri: tacos/ taco salad
Sat: leftovers

Sunday, January 10, 2010

hooray for the weekend!

Being unemployed has the unintentionmal side effect of draining part of the thrill of the weekend. The concept of Saturday and Sunday isn't quite as fun and exciting when you could relax at home any day of the week.

Now that I have a full week of work under my belt and a week of class and work waiting for me tomorrow morning I think I fully appreciate the beauty of a lazy Sunday once more.

We woke up this morning without an alarm and got breakfast. Then, I started the boston butt in the slow cooker for dinner. Now we are just hanging out in our pajamas not doing anything of any consequence. It's wonderful. :)

Friday, January 8, 2010

hitting the ground running

This week I started my new job and let me tell you, I have hit the ground running on this one! Who knew libraries were such busy places?

Just as a quick recap, I am now working as the assistant to the information literacy coordinator at Savannah State University's Gordon Library. I'm going to be doing everything from putting together information packets to working the circulation desk and all the little details in between.

So many people think of libraries as big buildings full of books... and to some extent they are. However, libraries all over the country are working hard to keep up with the digital age as well as provide as many different research resources as possible. My entire department is devoted to helping people learn about resources available at the library and how to properly conduct academic research.

These are some big tasks. Luckily all of the people I have met so far are very dedicated to what they do.

I think one of my favorite things about my last job, the reason I didn't mind the occasional tedious or frustrating task, was that I felt like each thing I did had a purpose. I felt like my showing up to work and getting it done made an impact. Just in the short amount of time I have been at my new job I have gotten the same feeling. It feels like I am a part of something good and worthwhile. Hopefully that feeling will continue through my time there.

In addition to my new job, I am also starting back to school this semester. I have my advisement session today and Monday classes start. I've got 16 classes left until I finish my degree. If I go only part time (2 classes) spring, summer and fall then I will graduate in 2 and a half years. Let's all keep our fingers crossed and pray that I can knock these classes out within that time frame!

Finally.... as it is Friday, I would just like to say that my husband rocks because he happily eats dinner even when I burn the bacon and the toast. He also scores major brownie points for not making fun of me for burning dinner for the first time ever.

Saturday, January 2, 2010

It may not be Friday but....

my husband rocks! I missed posting it yesterday so I thought I'd sqeeze it in now. :)

He ran to the store today to pick up a few things we needed for dinner tonight and about 15 minutes after he left I realized I forgot to ask him to grab some sugar while he was out. When I called him to add it to his list he had already picked some up on his own. He said that he remembered me mentioning it in passing a couple days ago and figured he might as well grab some since he was already at the store.

It's great to know that he pays attention to little things like that.

Friday, January 1, 2010

Happy New Year!

As exciting as 2009 was, I'm very much looking forward to 2010 and the new opportunities coming our way.

At the same time it's a bit surreal for me to think about this being the year 2010.

Back in the day I was in Girl Scouts and our troop number from the time I was 8 years old was 2010. I remember a couple of times talking with my mom about what it might be like in the year 2010 and how different things might be. Now that it's actually here and I look around my life I'm amazed to see how closely my real life resembles the dreams I had back then. It is strange to realize that I am living the life I had imagined.... just like my favorite Thoreau quote encourages.

Although it hasn't been an easy and many times downright hard I am really thankful for where I'm at and the possibilities that still lay before me. I've got many more dreams and hopes for the coming years and maybe if I keep at it I'll get to have more strange New Year's Day realizations.