Preparations for a New Year

I have never been one to believe in "New Year Resolutions", per se. Instead, I look at the past year....the good, bad AND ugly. This year, however, I am going to make some goals for myself of what I would really like to do to improve myself and my life.

This past year, I have accomplished so many awesome things:

• I began a lifestyle change and actually stuck to it! This has made me so proud of myself!
  
• I ran my first 5k! I did it in 32:21, which was less than the 33:00 time I had hoped(on the inside) for!
  
• I worked on building my relationship and growing stronger with Love! Our relationship is better than it ever has been and I am thankful that we grew together, rather than apart!
  
• I learned to cope with one of the hardest experiences! I talked about it, instead of throwing it to the wayside and pretending everything was fine.
• I learned to ask questions...even if they seemed stupid! A first in my life!
  
• I worked through my self esteem issues and can honestly say that I love WHO and WHAT I am and have become!

For the upcoming year:

• I have purchased a pocket size day planner and WILL use it to note my workouts, water count, dates with friends, reminders, and noting things I learn from day to day!
• I am definitely going to work on my writing skills and maybe turn my other blog into more of a creative writing/life experience type of blog.
• I WILL REACH MY HEALTH GOALS BY THE SUMMER!! I have 110 in my mind as the weight I would like to be, but I can't logically depend on the number alone. I will make it more about HOW I feel, not what I look like!
• I will be a better friend/bloggy buddy!

I will definitely be adding to this list, but now, it is sleepy time!

So, tell me. What are some of your goals for the New Year? How do you feel you did in 2009?

Plans for Christmas Weekend...

I woke up this morning with a sore throat. Boo!! So, I am getting lots of fluids in and doing what I can to not get sick! Love has been sick since Saturday...Poor Guy. He passed it to me though.

Today, I want to talk a little about my eating and working out plans for the weekend!

I am not a dieter, I'm a lifestyle changer. So, this weekend will be all about portion control.

• Love's dad always hosts Christmas Breakfast and it ROCKS! They have delicious food and I love breakfast food, like crazy love it!! Last year, it was meat, potatoes, eggs, and various other yumminess. I will watch my portion sizes for sure. 
• I am going to be bringing(hopefully) velvet chocolate chip cookies, but I have to find a velvet cake mix first. I got the recipe from another blogger, but don't remember who. So, sorry. I am excited to contribute though :)
• Father Love(Love's Dad) always ALWAYS has yummy sodas! This year, I will refrain and drink juice/water!
• I plan to do the "30 day shred" christmas eve, christmas day, saturday AND sunday. My gym is closed until the 28th :(
• I work Saturday and Sunday. So, those days are easy to control portion sizes.

I have no idea what my dad has planned for Christmas. Maybe we will see him, but I haven't talked to him about it yet. As far as my mom goes, she is trying to plan something, but I work all weekend and don't have tons of time over this weekend.

With everything I am going through with my family and such, I just don't feel that into Christmas. I don't care about presents, christmas lights, or any festivities. I just want to spend the day with the love of my life, and our kids(Did you see the pics I posted of them on my side bar?)! Of course, I am excited to spend some time with his family as well. I really hope to see mine, but we will see.

I wish you all a very Merry Christmas!! Thank you for stopping by, it means so much to me!!

My Battle with Weight....

I don't believe I have shared "My Struggle with Weight"!

I grew up an extremely active child. I was a dancer, cheerleader, softball player, and avid bike rider(and a scar on my lip to prove it haha). I wasn't a heavy child and I didn't eat terrible. I loved fruits and veggies, and ate them often.

When I was 12, my aunt passed away and that rocked my families world. All of us began battling different things...alcohol addiction, depression, loneliness, and food addiction. We went from being a family that ate at home to a family that constantly ate fast food. I battled bulimia and anorexia for the next 4 years. I found myself getting thinner, paler and began losing my hair. I still felt huge, but I was tired of living like that. So, I asked my parents for help. They didn't believe that I needed help and told me to go "eat a cheeseburger"! I believe a lot of that was that they were in so much emotional pain that none of us were thinking clearly and we couldn't help ourselves, let alone help each other.

I am thankful that I was not helped, because after that day, I started helping myself. I had days where I wouldn't eat and would revert back to minor bouts of anorexia, but I just kept pulling myself  back up and reminding myself that it was not the right way for me to live. I went on an up and down roller coaster.

At 16, I began eating my feelings. I ate my feelings and upon high school graduation day, I weighed in at 175 pounds. I am 4'11'' tall. Ironically, I didn't care. I was so tired of worrying about my weight.

I began working 2 jobs. I worked from 10AM-12AM most days of the week with a 30 minute break from 3-4. I remember one day about 3 months after starting that schedule that my size 16 jeans were literally falling off. So, I decided I needed to go buy some new pants. I had gone from a size 16 to a size 10 in 3 months. The reason? I was "too busy" to eat much on most days. Not the safest way to lose weight, but it happened without me noticing.

I was 19 at the time and decided it was time for me to get healthy and lose the weight the right way. I went to the gym EVERY DAY for 2 months and lost nothing...NADA....NILCH. I was so upset that I just gave up and quit going, I gave up on me.

The next 3 years were nothing short of a blur. A blur of parties, alcohol, friends, bars, and late night stops at sconecutter after leaving the bars. I had a blast, but I also knew I was getting pretty heavy. Sometime in those 3 years I did try a phentermine pill that I dropped 12 pounds using. Bringing my weight to 135ish. I was happy at this point just living and working. Not truly happy, but I felt like I was happy nonetheless.

When I met My Love, I was 155 pounds. We got serious pretty quickly. I went from bar hopping, late night eating, fast food loving heavy girl to early dinner, no snacking, no drinking 10 pounds lighter girl in about 6 months. I have kept the weight off for 2.5 years now and I have actually taken the next step and am losing more weight.

Ultimately when I get to 120, I will reevaluate my fitness/weight loss goals. I do know for sure that I still eat my feelings on occasion and am also lazy some days, but one thing is for sure.

I LOVE MY NEW LIFESTYLE AND I AM STICKING TO IT!!

It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year!

And also a time when a lot of people fall off the wagon, myself included. I am terrible at portion control and I always have been! I didn't realize until recently that i'm an emotional eater. I have to keep asking myself am I really hungry or eating because i'm sad, stressed, angry, lonely, annoyed....you get the idea! It's a battle everyday right now. It wasn't as bad around Thanksgiving, but the past 2 weeks, I have next to NO motivation. It is tough, but I am staying storng and keeping up with it. I have fallen off and gotten back on the wagon in my life and i'm only 24! This time, it is just not happenin'!!!


The Fit Bride is having an awesome giveaway! Check it out, but don't enter because I really wanna win :) http://thefitbride.wordpress.com/2009/12/14/chobani-giveaway/#comment-831

How are you staying on track during the holiday season?

Inspiration Much?

Good Morning Everyone!!

These past few weeks have been LONG. I'm working 2 jobs, getting healthy, hitting the gym, taking care of my puppies, cleaning house(which Babe does help with), and am suffering from a slight case of insomnia. I say slight because, well, I CAN sleep....once I go to sleep 2-3 hours later than i'm used to. What am I doing in those 2-3 hours...TV watching, blog reading and laying in bed. I should be preparing my lunch or laying out my clothes, but do I? No, I need discipline.

I bought a pedometer at Costco yesterday and it is a hunk of junk. It said I walked 6 steps....when I was driving(hmmm..strange)! So, i will be taking it back today. I want a pedometer that really works and is fairly accurate. Any suggestions?

Babe's cousin, Lil, is telling everyone that I am her inspiration for working out and losing weight! It is so nice to hear and definitely strokes my ego. In this journey, I have definitely learned a lot about myself and who I want to be. I want to be an inspiration, a role model, a friend and a confidant to people struggling with the same thing as myself! This is something we don't have to do alone. We must find the power to do it in ourselves, but someone is always there to lean on and that is the most important  thing i've learned through this journey.

I did 8 minute abs(found on YouTube.com) this morning....Geesh! What a great ab workout. Looking forward to doing it everyday :)

Babe bought delicious truffles....which are too dangerous for me. I had a serving and a half yesterday....not good, but i am not beating myself up over it. I'll eat them in moderation, but Babe will have them gone really fast :) so i'm not too worried!

Eating has been on. Working out hard this week. I have a christmas party Saturday and I want to look SMASHINGLY GORGEOUS.

Awesome Giveaway!!

Fantabulously Frugal is having an AWESOME GIVEAWAY! Go check it out!

Even More Changes....

Thanksgiving and Weight
First up, my weight went UP 4 pounds right after Thanksgiving. I didn't necessarily eat like garbage, I just didn't eat all day before the big meals. NOT GOOD, I know!! Every time I sat down to eat breakfast or lunch, I found another project I had to do to get ready. All 4 pounds are now gone, plus 1 more :) YAY!!

Gym
Second, I joined the local Community College gym on Monday :) Started off running on the treadmill and SUCKED it UP!! I had such a hard time maintaining my focus. I went to the gym Monday and with Love's cousin on Tuesday. I love her! She showed me this killer ab workout that I may have to vlog :) We'll see if I can dig out the camera. Today, I have a 4 miler planned, plus strength. I think i'm going to do half of the mileage on the indoor track and half on the treadmill. I'm doing my best to try and transition into indoor running. Sundays the gym is closed, so my long runs will all take place outside. I'm so happy to have the gym membership though. Especially for cross training!!

I will be back to post some YUMMY meals i've had so far this week later tonight :)

What are the best exercises to get rid of love handles??

Thanksgiving Weekend...

Can I just say, I didn't totally blow my lifestyle change this weekend, but I wasn't always very good.

Thanksgiving morning started with a half of a clif bar and a lot of water. Then, I went and ran my the "Utah Human Race 2009" at 8AM. I ran it in 32:21! Which is awesome for me. The last 5k I participated in took me 40 minutes or so to finish. Now, 3 years later and finishing in 32 minutes is a huge accomplishment. After the race, I went to my dad's house and talked to him while drinking about 3 cups of coffee!! Then, home to clean the house. I am NEVER hungry after coffee at all! So, I didn't eat until dinner. We had Babe's work friend over for Thanksgiving. Babe's friend that lives with us also joined in on the Thanksgiving festivities at our casa....he actually made the stuffing and yams! Dinner was divine and followed with banana cream pie. Then, the boys all had a drinking fest, which I did not take part in as I had to work at 8AM the next day.

Friday morning, I woke up showered and went to work. Worked from 8-4 and had an 8 piece chicken meal with fruit and diet lemonade. Then came home and got ready to go to my grandma's house. Had a yummy meal there, but my eyes were bigger than my stomach and I only ate 1/2 of what I got :) Plus had a piece of yummy chocolate pie :) Then, home to hang out with Babe, little brother and his girlfriend. Babe and Little Bro get along so well, it's awesome. Plus, they remind me a lot of each other.

Saturday was up for work again from 8-4. Had a turkey, sage and cream cheese bagel for brunch. Then, babe and I went to see his cousins new house. Had Pei Wei for dinner....it was TO DIE FOR!!

Today, Babe's dad had Thanksgiving at his house(he just recovered from 12 days of the swine flu!). Dinner was amazing, but not eating all day today made my tummy a lot smaller than it is. So, I didn't eat much. Then we came home and I made spaghetti using "squash" for my lunches this week! Soo yummy! I had a couple of strings for a taste test! Such a delicious lunch it will be :)  I did get in a 4 mile run today, as well!

This weekend I had 2 days where I didn't eat much and that is a huge NO NO!! I have to remind myself that just because I don't have an appetite, doesn't mean I should eat nothing....Ugh! So, I'm back on the lifestyle change hardcore this week lol :)

Happy Belated Thanksgiving!

I did it!!

I will be doing a 5k fun run tomorrow morning at 8AM!! It is the Utah Human Race 2009!!

 I need to get some sleep! Will update tomorrow!

Motivation...

So, My Loves aunt told me via facebook that she wished she had my motivation. On my 3 miler today, that's all I thought about. What is it that gets and keeps me motivated?

*I want to wear size 4 jeans more than I want a 3rd, 4th or 5th slice of pizza!
*Running up the stairs and not being out of breath feels so good!
*People saying "You look GOOD!" and "How much have you lost?" puts the BIGGEST SMILE on my face!
*Losing weight and getting to goal pound by pound improves my self esteem immensely.
*Looking in the mirror and seeing the littlest results makes this whole journey worth it!
*When I have kids, I will be able to play with them!
*Loves looks at me differently and constantly compliments my efforts!
*I don't dread shopping!
*I don't have to think about what i'm going to eat for lunch at lunch time!
*It's gotten so much easier to plan my running into my schedule!
*I will finally run the half marathon i've been talking about doing for 2 years!!

Motivation is within yourself! If you want to lose weight bad enough, for yourself, you WILL do it! It is hard, but it is so worth it!!

My first food photo :)

So, I thought my dinner was so pretty, I took a picture.

Yum, right! In the bowl is, zuppa tuscana from Olive Garden. Along with a side salad and 1 breadstick :) It was perfect and delicious! So filling and in the soup I had more of the green veggies than potatoes and sausage. So, all in all not a horrible choice. 

7.7

That is the number the Wii Fit told me that i've lost in a month and 3 weeks, which is awesome, because I haven't been seeing losses in numbers. I dropped a pants size and 2 inches in my waist, but that's all i've really seen.

My official weight loss number since 9-9-09 is............................16 pounds!!! 14 pounds to go and i'll evaluate if I want to lose more or not :)

Ummm....I suck!

I have been the worst blogger and blogger buddy, as of late! My apologies! I've gotten a little off track in some areas and am trying to get back on. Some bullet points and new goals to follow....

• I started a second job for the holiday season(i've done it every year minus one for the past 5 years). So, now my exercise schedule has another competitor. Although I put my health first. Somedays it's really hard to work in a workout. I'm still trying to figure out the balance.
• I am no longer in contact with my mother, which is hard, but she is sucking the life out of me with her lies. So, i'm moving forward in my life and letting go of the drama. I should have done this a long time ago, but I feel bad hurting her feelings, but my unconditional love has been drowned out by the lies and i'm exhausted. 
• Eating is still pretty good. It's the running that i've gotten off track with. I will start my 10k training program over again on Monday. I will start my half marathon training in January! 
• I AM GOING TO RUN THE "SLC HALF MARATHON" and i'm so excited to do so!! I believe it is April 10th. 

Back to running....
I am THE SLOWEST runner. I know that I have to get back to it and really push myself after 2 weeks of next to NO exercise. I am excited to start the speed work. I know it will be a challenge, but I know that I can do it. I'll be alternating between tempo runs and sprints on Wednesday's for the next 6 weeks. I'm really hoping to get my speed to 10:00 miles or less. Right now i'm at about 11:45.

Goals for this week:
1. Weigh Sunday.
2. Continue eating healthy.
3. Run everyday of my 10k training schedule.
4. Smile and be happy!!

I hope everyone is doing well. I promise to be a better bloggy buddy!

Hi, I'm still alive

Things have been insane. I am no longer speaking to my mother. She is just so far off the deep end. Talking to her is a waste of time.

As far as the diet goes, it's not horrid. I'm still making good decisions, with the occasional splurge. Practicing moderation!! Exercise this week is in the toilet. Babe and I are going to look into gym memberships. The last membership I had, I never used. However, this time I have every intention of using it!

I will be back to give you a better update. I start my second job tomorrow so it will be Sunday before I'm back. Have a fabulous weekend!!

Today in Food and Workout: Day 1

I am going posting my food and workouts for the day. I'll do the plan first and what was actually done second.

Today's plan for exercise was to do day 1 of the 10k program I have decided to do. So, 3 mile run + strength.

Food for today was pretty decent.

Breakfast- Harvest Peach yogurt w/ 1/4 cup of Apple Cinnamon granola.
Snack-Banana
Lunch-Chicken Salad Sandwich(2 slices multi grain bread w/ chicken, grapes, a little mayo, and lots of mustard inside) and a side salad with a little dressing! It was delicious!
Dinner-Chicken tenders, broccoli w/ cheese sauce and a side salad with tomatoes.
Desert-Vita top muffin w/ whipped cream and mint chips
Kind of a high calorie day, but I don't think i'm eating enough right now as i'm not losing anything and only eat 1200 or so calories a day. So, i'm upping it to see how I do over a weeks period of time.

When I got home from work, I went to the track. I ran 3 miles at 10:59 pace. I'm working on my speed right now. I'm a slow runner, so it will take some time, but i'll get faster. I will be doing the "30 Day Shred" after finishing this post.

Overall, I think I had a decent day! I'm going to try to not have the mint chips on my desert for the next few weeks, as I looked at the calories and there's 210 calories in 3 tablespoons....GEESH!!

****Giveaway alert****
YoPlus Light Giveaway
Mention that you heard it here and give me 5 extra points *Thanks*

The Halloween Weekend....

On Friday night, Loves and I hung out at home with Loves brother, "Dude". Dude occasionally comes over to hang out and he's a blast to be around. He definitely bring the interesting conversation. He's a very intelligent guy, but can make you giggle fairly easy! We had some Pei Wei for dinner and then went to bed!

Saturday=HAPPY HALLOWEEN!! I was not at all worried that the 2 30 packs of candy bars we bought wouldn't be enough for the little ghosts and goblins, but Loves was worried. I eased his worry by picking up another box of candy bars!! That makes 90 candy bars! We had Cafe Rio for lunch....which besides my eggs for breakfast, was the only meal we ate that day. Bad choice, but I did snack on some fruit and drank lots of water. We came home and popped in "Amittyville Horror", whilst waiting for the little treat seekers. During the movie we got oh....6 trick or treaters. So, we then started watching "Ghost Hunters: Live!" which always intrigues me. I wouldn't want to experience the paranormal, but I am still fascinated by it. Between about 8 and 11 we got about 10 more trick or treaters....and that's it! 16 trick or treaters the whole night and we prepared with 90 candy bars....90-16=74 candy bars left over. Ummm.....I could be in trouble here....SAVE ME!!! Loves and I cuddled til about 3AM when we finally zonked out!

Today, we went to my dad's(as my mother has moved out) and hung with my bro, my dad's employee, and my grandparents for 2 hours. Then....THEN we went and looked at the treadmill I'm getting next week from "Dude"....Seriously, I love Loves brother and totally appreciate him offering the treadmill to me! It really keeps me motivated. The only downside is that we have to pay 100+ dollars to put a new power supply on it, but hey...at least we have a treadmill that will basically be brand new again for 100+, instead of one that is for 1,000's :)

I hope you all had a fantastic Halloween weekend!!

A weeks worth of words...

Coming up with some inspiration to write these days is far and in between! I'm exhausted this week. Emotionally, physically, mentally, and "weatherly"! It snowed on Monday, and Tuesday. However, it didn't stick to the ground. It's gone now and it's just cold out. I hate being cold!! It's the worst, but I am thankful that I have a warm bed to sleep in every night and a handsome man to warm me up when I get home from work ;)

Exercise wise, I'm not doing fabulous, but not terrible. Skipped running Tuesday and Wednesday. I'm going everyday the rest of the week and also doing the "30 day shred" twice a day to get caught up to where I should be for "Operation 4 by 11/24". I don't think i'll be a size 4 by then, but i'm going to push myself HARD!! I'm getting a treadmill from Loves brother, but I have to replace the "motherboard"...it's 100 bucks! I hate paying it, but at least I don't have to buy a new treadmill for 800, right? I'm so excited to bring my running inside though, for real!

Food wise: I've been decent. Not great, but decent. Lots of fruits and veggies. Lots of chicken. Some enchiladas(I know!!). Not many sweets at all, which are my number one weakness!

Family wise: My parent's divorce is a soap opera! I often say "These Are The Days of Our Lives", very dramatically with a thick accent! I wish they'd just get divorced and my mom would tell someone the truth instead of feeding us full of BS!!

To my readers: I am still reading all of your posts! However, I haven't had much to say lately! Comments will resume ASAP!

Stay tuned for a better post....Tonight, the story of my weight!

Motivational Tools....

I can't believe i've been doing this running thing for 8+ weeks now!! I never in my wildest dreams thought I would actually stick to it. The furthest i'd ever run in my life was 2 miles with no walking and that was back in '04 when I went to the gym EVERYDAY for 2 hours a day. Side note, I didn't lose an ounce and I wasn't eating like garbage either, but I really didn't eat much either....so!

Anyways, along this road, I've had so many motivational moments that i'd like to share with you. Bullet points are ideal for this!

• Motivation #1: Telling myself that I could stick to a 5k training program, knowing it would be hard but totally worth it! I believed in myself from day 1! I never gave up! I pushed and I admired myself more everytime I did!
• Motivation #2: Once my 5k training was over, Loves and I bought me some new kicks. Asics, which are ACTUAL running shoes. My first pair of shoes that I dedicated strictly to running!
• Motivation #3: I was going through a rut last week, and I decided to keep motivated, I wanted another little gadget. So, Loves and I bought me a super cool Nike+. I love that thing. It feels so good to know when I reach .5 mile, 1 mile, 1.5 miles, and so on! It's been huge in getting remotivated!

The above are only exercise motivators. I'll save the body and food motivators for another post! Right now, i'm off to work. My Reader is full so tonight I will be playing catch up and posting comments! I see I have a few new followers "HI!!! and THANKS for STOPPING by!!!!!" You guys rock!

Have a fantastic day, y'all!

Nike+ Review...

I bought a Nike+ on Saturday morning and was so excited to use it! However, at first I couldn't figure it out! So, I did my 3 miles at the track with my ipod. I later realized it was an easy problem to fix. So, Sunday I put on my "game face" and calibrated it. I ran 1 mile and it was dead on.

Today I took it outside to give it a test drive and it rocks!! Not kidding, the second best investment i've made in my running, the first was obviously my shoes. I had just bought new Asics, so I didn't want to buy the Nike shoes. So, I stuck the sensor under the tongue of my shoe!

I ran 5k today. It's nice because now I can take any route and not have to worry about mapping or anything. I just plug in the Nike+ and go. I ran until it said I was half way through, stopped and stretched for a minute and then ran back the same way i'd come! It was so awesome!

Update on the personal life....I thought my parents divorce was so horrible, but even worse were the details. Not that the reason why they're splitting is awful, more watching who my momma is becoming. She's confused and lost and sad(has been for 15 or more years) and all we want to do is help her, but she feels my dad has made sure that my brothers and I are against her. I feel so terrible for her. I just hope she reaches out for someone and soon. I worry about her everyday. I wake up and my mind is on her, I work and my mind is on her, I run and I think of her. I know in time we'll all heal, but the road to the "healing place" is going to be long and windy, i'm sure. Thanks for all of your kind words! This has been a battle of a week(especially the past 3 days) and all of your sweet words really help me out!!

The Dust is Settling...

Thanks for the kind words! I really appreciate it. I know that there will be good days and bad days, but "life goes on" says my "big" little brother! I'm not going to let them get me down.

I was running a 5k yesterday and kept thinking about it, when I realized that I need to focus on me and MY life. I feel like a wreck this week, but I shouldn't. It's okay to be sad, but miserable...Not Okay with me! Love has been so supportive these past 3 days. When I cry, he just holds me. He listens when I talk about it. He gives me his honest opinion. He is my rock!! I can already feel how this is changing our relationship for the better. We are both the same way, we only want to get married one time....preferably to each other. That's why we don't push the whole marriage thing. We're letting it take its course. I know that it will be a long road and it will be hard, but I am strong and I always survive....ALWAYS!

Onto cooler things...eating this weekend was not perfect, but not horrible. My worst choices were: wine(2 bottles), the cheesecake, and the late night chips, salsa and queso. Then again, it was all done in moderation(except the wine...yikes)! I am not weighing myself though so I can't say I have a gain or a loss. I can say...I am STILL A 6! Haha! ***TMI is coming up in the next sentence*** I only skipped running on Sunday though(I was hungover), but I threw up just about everything in my body that I had eaten in 2 days....it made me feel so much better!!

Like I said, I ran a 5k last night and I felt so good. My time was long, but I haven't done neighborhoods or HILLS yet. So, i'll be working on speed and such for the next few weeks and then I will dive into 10k or maybe i'll just start 10k training today!

Does anybody have any tips for working on speed?

Good and Bad....

Saturday started out being the best day EVER!! Ended not great! I'm doing this bullet form, because my brain is just fuzzy and not really processing.

• Reef tour was a hit. We probably had 50 or 60 people come over to look at our fish tank. Everyone was impressed and that made me feel great, because Love really works hard on it and he deserves all of the wonderful compliments!! I'm so proud of him!!!!!
• I went on a 2.5 mile run and did the "30 day Shred" and I was feeling great!!
• Went out with my mom, dad, and Love to Cheesecake Factory and ate really well, but did have some cheesecake. It was delicious!!
• Saturday morning I put on my "goal jeans", they're a size 6. I have a little muffin top, but they fit!! I'm a 6! Love said he's really proud of me and it feels so good to hear that!
• After dinner my parents came back to  the house and I poured my mother and myself some wine. We were just talking and my dad said "We have something to tell you"! I said "Who died?"! Then, my mom said,"we're getting a divorce!"! My heart, my whole body stopped and I laughed and told them they must be joking! They weren't! I'll probably be sharing more about how I feel about this in the future, but right now, i'm shocked.
  

Run, Tiffi, Run...

I don't think i've ever posted my name before, it's Tiffani...with an "I".

Anyways, the new shoes are perfect!! I ran my fastest mile last night since starting the training program! The second mile was a lot slower, but it was my first "tempo" run ever. So, I was exhausted by lap 7. Overall actually, last night was my fastest 2 mile run. I did it in 22 minutes :) I hope to get that into the under 20 min range soon. I want to be running an 8 or 9 minute mile. I do understand that I am a slow runner, I always have been, but now I have the tools to make myself faster(new shoes, researched being a faster runner lol).

I did skip "The Shred" last night! We're getting ready for "Reef Tour" which starts tomorrow. I'll have a lot of free time tomorrow to tell you what it's about, but this week has been clean, clean, clean, and scrub, scrub, scrub.

Have a nice day, y'all.

Running Shoes & Lunch Boxes

The past few runs, my knees have hurt so bad. I kept trying to figure out what in Lord's name it could be. The way I run...hmmm...I don't think so. Not stretching enough or the right way....Not that either. Then, I remembered that I'd had my workout shoes for probably close to 4 or 5 years. I didn't exercise all that much in that time, but I did wear them a lot. FYI(tangent), I'm planning a blog to tell y'all about my weight issues, but I have to sort my thoughts on it.

Anywho, My running shoes were more of everyday shoes(up until 2 years ago when I moved in with the beau and they stayed at my parents, until I found them 3 weeks ago). Yes, that had to be the problem. Last night, Babes and I went to a shoe locally owned shoe store. This place has been in business for almost 20 years and has always had the best deal on shoes. I remember when my dad first discovered them in the early 90s, Ossine shoe days were my favorite :). Back to the point....So, I walked in and the guy there did a "foot analysis". He watches me walk away from him and towards him, and then the same for running. He picked 3 pairs of shoes that he thought would work best for me. One was even a wide shoe. The wide shoe felt to big, but the Asics were nice and tight. I actually don't really remember the third pair... So, I stuck with the Asics and wore them last night while I did the shred and could FEEL the DIFFERENCE...WOOHOO!!

Here they are:

Then, we went to Sunflower Market, MY FAVORITE STORE. They're kind of like a health food store, I would say and got me a lunch box, so now I don't have to bring my lunch to work in a grocery bag....I know, i'm classy :)
Look how cute:

I put it with an apple we bought and my food journal with the frilly pen. I'm such the photographer haha.

I think yesterday was an all around win and it also gave me lots of motivation to keep going with the running and packing my lunch thing.

I have to start writing down my blog ideas because I have a million running through my brain all the time and then, I sit down to write and nothing.

Thanks for all of your comments everyone. I love sharing in this journey and reading about yours as well :)

Have a good day!

Thank you...

So, Miss Sharon over at The Incredible Shrinking Sharon, has given me the "Over The Top" award!!! 

 I couldn't be more excited about it! I've never been recognized in such a way and i'm so EXCITED! 

Sharon began her journey shortly before me. I had started reading blogs about other women who were starting, in the middle of, or even at the goal poi5466nt in their journey's. Miss Sharon really truly inspired me from the get go! I love her blog and how she continues to stay motivated! Thanks Sharon, you are an inspiration!!!

1)Where is your cell phone? Dresser
2)Your hair? Curly
3)Your mother? Amazing
4)Your father? #1
5)Your favorite food? Grapes!!
6)Your dream last night? Hmmm...
7)Your favorite drink? Water
8)Your dream/goal? BusinessOwner
9)What room are you in? ChillRoom(Bedroom)
10)Your hobby? Running!
11)Your fear? Distant
12)Where do you want to be in six years? Married
13)Where were you last night? Cuddling
14)Something that you aren't? Ignorant
15)Muffins? Blueberry
16)Wish list item? Size 4
17)Where did you grow up? Utah
18) Last thing you did? FishTank
19) What are you wearing? Tank
20) Your TV? Awesome
21)Your pets?AbLen(Abigail and Lenny)

22)Friends? TheBest
23)Your life? Dynamic
24)Your mood? Exhilirated
25)Missing someone? Always
26)Vehicle? "Subi"
27)Something you are not wearing? Earrings
28)Your favorite store? Banana Republic
29)Your favorite color? All
30)When was the last time you laughed? Constantly

31)Last time you cried? Wednesday
32)Your best friend? LifeLong
33) One place I go to over and over? Reader
34)One person who e-mails me regularly? Cousin
35)Favorite place to eat? Tepanyaki

Tagging: HCG Diet and that's really it! I don't really have tons of bloggy friends, but someday I will lol! 

Jillian, Shred My Love Handles, Please!!

Starting yesterday(October 1st), I decided to begin the "30 Day Shred" program!

I am on Day 2 and it's a kick ass workout. I can feel the burn basically every minute. I had to take a couple of breaks, but only a second or two. So, i'm not all too disappointed in myself.

I am on Week 5 of my training program and I feel great!!! As you can tell, if you clicked the link, i'm running 2.5 miles for 4-6 days. Today, I did day 4 and I feel so confident now!

Let me just say, I am so happy that I chose to start this running program and now "The Shred"! It's made a huge difference in my life and i'm loving every moment of it!! I will not be weighing myself for a while, because i'd like to SEE the change with my eyes, not let my weight be the thing I see!! I get discouraged easily, so I think NOT weighing will be the best!!

Redo....

I had 3 days off from running. I did still exercise(a little) at the cabin, but I do need my runs. They cleanse me, they make me feel accomplished. I've never felt as strong as I do now.

Week five of the training program i've fallen in love with, is jog 2.5 miles 4-6 days a week. That was the goal last week. However, the cabin happened, so i'll be repeating it this week! I'm excited! After a 3 day break, yesterday started great, but got hard at the end!

It's amazing to go through this program...I've learned so much about myself and my drive! I've found something inside that I never knew I had....Ambition!

Back from the cabin....

So, from Friday to today, I have not actually had a meal. I had planned on foods to bring to the cabin. I was going to make delicious veggie omelettes(for me, C(My Boy) does not like veggies or omelettes), Grilling up some veggies for lunches and dinners to go with the hamburgers and brisket. Yeah, none of that actually happened!

Friday night, we got up to the cabin, turned on the water and gas, and headed back to town for some groceries. The boy was in a hurry, the reason..i'll never know! So, we got some fruit, some juice, some eggs, some cocoa puffs, and uh....candy! After the grocery store, we stopped at taco time. I got a veggie burrito...not a horrible choice, but not great. I listened to my body and it said it was fine at about half the burrito, so I put it away! Good Job, Continuous :)! We got to the cabin and a couple of friends showed up. We ended up playing a drinking game called "Ride the Bus". I drank almost half a bottle of Sangria by myself! And, I snacked!

Saturday, we woke up, snacked played with the dogs, I ran up and down the HUGE hill in front of the cabin a couple of times, and rested. The whole day, I snacked...THE WHOLE DAY! I did NOT however do it in an uncontrollable way! I contained my composure and snacked on plenty of fruit!

Today, it's the boy's b-day! Cake and ice cream was involved. Birthday Pancakes were involved. No exercise was involved and I'm OKAY WITH THAT! I've worked my arse off to lose weight and i've been training hard! I was concious and aware of what I ate and DIDN'T eat this weekend!

I don't beat myself up over the decisions I make! I made them, I can't change them! All I can do is move forward and make tomorrow better! For the first time in my life, I'm actually staying focused and EXCITED about losing weight the right way!

Back to regularly scheduled meals and working out tomorrow! I'm starting the "30 Day Shred Challenge" on October 1st.

Giving Up...

The fact of the matter is, if I give up, the only person i'm giving up on is ME!

I refuse to give up on myself! R-E-F-U-S-E!!!!

I love my lifestyle changes!

No Change...

Weighed this morning and no change at all!! I hate this!! I'm working out 5-6 days more often than I used to and eating less, yet nothing is changing!!!

Looks like The Shred will be making an appearance in my life starting tonight!! I'm running 6 days from today to next wednesday so maybe i'll make progress for next week, but i've heard the shred works wonders!!

I am not scared!

Today is the day!! I start all running! No more walking breaks, and you know what? I'm SO ready for it! The Track, My iPod and Myself have a date...err many dates! Today is the last day of week 5...2.25 miles nonstop! I did it Sunday, I can do it today! From Tomorrow to next Wednesday I will need to complete 4-6 days of a 2.5 mile jog! I would love to do 6 days, but we'll have to see how I feel!

Wish me luck!

2.25 Miles...

Yesterday was the big day, the day I had to run 2 and a quarter miles, nonstop!! It's the longest distance i've had to run non stop in years and damn, it felt GOOD!!

There were many points when I felt like I HAD TO STOP, but I pushed through and just slowed down a bit. I am still doing a horrible job on my times, but i'm going at my own pace. My mile is like 13 or 14 minutes, because i'm a slow runner, but they'll get better in time. I hope to be running a 9 minute mile within the next 2 months time. I start out quick and strong, but then burn myself out quick. I have 2 more run/walks and then it's ALL RUNNING after that. That's when I'm going to work on my pace. Right now, i'm doing run/walks so that's probably the reason my time is super slow.

I got a new iPod Nano yesterday. The whole time i've been doing my training, i've done it without any type of music. It was all just thoughts in my head. Maybe having music will help me focus more on the music than how my body feels and I can pick up the pace a little. I have some Kings of Leon, Alicia Keyes, KT Tunstall, Britney Spears, and many other groups who just get my heart pumping and my feet movin!! I'm excited for my run today. Also, "Loves" pointed out that i'm probably super sore because I don't stretch out nearly enough and he is SO RIGHT! I always stretch before and after, but only for a minute or two! I upped my stretch time to 4 minutes each yesterday and NO SORENESS today! Woohoo!!

I feel really good today, so I hope that I continue with this momentum! I weigh in on Wednesday morning and I really hope I have a loss. The .2 pounds last week bummed me out, but i've fixed a couple of the things I saw me doing poorly and hopefully I see the reward on the scale :)

Weighed In Today...

.....And, No good news to report. I'm up .2 pounds from last week! I hate hate hate the scale. I guess I just have to be a little tighter on my eating and maybe i'll start doing the shred. I have to fit into my size 6 jeans in 2 weeks, but i'm afraid that might not happen!

I'm thinking of getting an actual scale though. I don't know how accurate the WII is. What kind of scale should I buy? I know it doesn't really matter, but some opionions might be nice.

Last night, Loves told me he'd buy me an iPod shuffle! Woot!! We broke 2 of the iPod Classics already this year. So, the shuffle will be used as my personal exercise tool! I'm so excited. I don't get bored on my runs, but when I'm listening to dance-y music or rock n roll, I really pushes me and keeps me going :) I absolutely love it :)

*******UPDATE*********
I'm actually down .2 pounds. The WII just isn't reliable. Maybe i'll see what next week brings! Down is Down, right?

I Should Have Gotten Water....

Instead, I got a Long Island Iced Tea. It was free poured, which in Utah is ILLEGAL. So, I got a lot more liquor than the 1.5 ounce that is legal.

Friday night, Loves and I took a little nap, chilled at home, and went and got take out from "Mimi's Cafe". I love love love Mimi's. I had salmon and veggies, but I also got the corn chowder which lasted Friday and Saturday. Not too horrible of a choice right? That was until I ate the bread pudding. However, i'm not going to totally beat myself up, because I hadn't had much to eat all day.

Saturday, I started off my day with a 2 mile run at the high school track. I love running on the track! I never thought i'd like running or be able to do it for long. I used to get tired walking up the stairs. Now, I can run 2 whole miles non stop at a good pace. We just hung around the house with our pups for the rest of the day!

Yesterday my legs were a little sore, but I went on a run anyways. Boy, that was an awesome decision. It's so nice to exercise. I feel so much better about my body when I do! Last night we went and saw the "Yeah Yeah Yeahs" in concert and that's where the long island comes in. Too many calories, I know. I was feeling the pain this morning.

You bet your ass next time i'll listen to my inner voice and just order water!!

Weigh In.....

I decided to start keeping track of my weight weekly! I tend to get obsessed with the scale and it discourages me, so I have to be careful!

Weight at doctor on August 20: 142
Weight on Wii Fit on September 9: 133.8

If it's accurate, that is so awesome and i'm very excited about it! Ultimate goal is to be in the low to mid 110's. I'm sure it will be obtained and i'm so motivated. I've set up a goal to lose 2 pounds in 2 weeks from today. Like I said, I get discouraged easily, so my goals have to be a little more ideal to obtain.

I ran 3 laps, walked 2 laps, and ran 3 laps today in 24 minutes! I'm on a training program and it's awesome! Tomorrow is my first 2 mile jog....NONSTOP!! It's going to be hard, but I can't wait!

Things I've Noticed...

Today, I realized that I was telling myself, 'You're sore. Just walk for just a minute'. I didn't. I refused to listen to myself. I want to be fit. I want to be thin. I want to be able to run that full marathon. And I want it for me! I don't want it for anybody else.

I used to want to lose weight for guys, for my mother, for my brothers, and for my friends. It wasn't until I wanted it for myself that I made it happen!

I have so much more motivation, just within myself, that I never knew I had before! It's absolutely amazing to be running....No Music, No Distraction. Just my brain in sync with my body. The feeling is perfect! Sure, I feel like walking 90 percent of the time, but I push forth. No Pain, No Gain! It's so true. My legs are so sore, have been for 2 weeks.

While I was running, I also kept thinking, 'The Only Person Giving Up On Me is Myself! And I'm Not Going To Let That Happen!"

Keep Pushing!

Changing It Up A Bit....

Continuous Changes will now be my blog about the lifestyle changes I have been making. I will now be blogging about my everyday life Rockin' Worlds Since 1985! So, if you'd like to know about my everyday life, please feel free to swing on by.

I have realized during these past couple of weeks that goals are extremely important. However, for myself, it is the baby step goals that keep me going strong. I do have a few long term goals, but I don't put those into my mind as strongly as I do the short term, because I do not want to get myself discouraged when I don't reach those goals in 4 days. I will set monthly goals until achieving the long term. I expect to meet the long term goals before next summer.

Short Term-To be achieved and consistent by Sept. 27:
1. Drink more than 100 ounces of water daily.
2. Take my vitamins daily.
3. Introduce and eat more veggies and fruits.
4. Follow the running program I found online.
5. Get into my first pair of "goal jeans" comfortably.

Long Term:
1. Continue with the healthy lifestyle changes.
2. Run a full marathon.
3. Wear size 4 pants, maybe 2.
4. Weigh and maintain a weight of 115.

I weighed myself 2 nights ago at "My Loves" brothers house. The scale read 138.2. At the doctor 2 weeks ago, I was 142. So, i've lost almost 4 pounds. So, i'd like to lose about 23 more pounds.

Staying On Task...

My biggest problem with exercise is my mind wanders. I "allow" my self to take breaks when it gets too hard....Wrong, Very Wrong. Today, I did my second week of training. It was supposed to be the last of 4-6 days that week, however it was only the third. I'll be repeating it next week.

I did stick to it though. I ran the whole time I was supposed to run. No stopping. I pushed through and it felt so phenomenal.

"Loves" and I had a barbecue at his aunt's house tonight. I didn't really do that great at eating, but I listened to what my body had to say. I ate until I was satisfied and I feel good.

Now, I just need to work on drinking enough water. I drink 60+ ounces a day, but I'd like to double that. I feel dehydrated, especially when I exercise.

Overall, I think week 2 went fairly well. Week 1 was awesome, but for getting sick the first part of week 2 and being in bed for 2 days....Week 2 wasn't horrible.

I actually won't be weighing myself until the end of week 4. I know what I started out at and I get VERY discouraged on the weeks I gain or don't lose, so i'll only be weighing every 2 or 4 weeks.

Week 3 starts tomorrow.....

TMI Thursday...*Lickety Split*

I'm a new blogger and have found Lilu's TMI Thursdays to be pretty awesome!!

This is short, but good!

When my boyfriend and I started dating, he lived alone. We used to have sex everywhere. The kitchen, the living room, the stairs, hallways....everywhere. Not anymore....*SIGH*. That has nothing to do with the story.

One day, we were hanging out and things started getting hot and heavy. I was on top with my ass in the air(I don't remember if we were switching positions, or what). All of a sudden, I feel something licking.......MY ASSHOLE! I turn around and his adorable puppy was licking my ass.

I was shocked, embarassed, mortified...no words can describe.

I started screaming and he says, " What's the matter?". To which I replied, "Your dog licked my ass hole!".

He laughed and to this day thinks it's hilarious!!

Behind....

I used to think I rocked at blogging. However, I've slacked this last week, with good reason.

My first blog post was all about getting healthy and losing a little of the extra baggage. Yeah, I ran 4 days last week and on my "off day", I got a horrible cold from my grandfather. Okay, not horrible, it lasted a day or two. My breathing though, still not top notch.

I did go jogging/walking last night for the first time in 4 days and i'm definitely not ready for the next week of training I have to do, but I'm going to push through and do my best.

Somethings I'd like to mention:

• I never knew I had as much motivation as i've had the past week and a half. My eating has stayed in check, my workouts have been done, and I am continuing down the path.
• The "Loves" thought I would give up last week, because I always do. I didn't though and today will be the 2nd day of my 2nd week of eating better and working out. He's being very patient and very supportive.
  
• I am already feeling a difference in my attitude and even a little in my body.
  
• It's been easier to resist sweets, just as long as I remind myself of what/how many calories I am about to eat. That thought stops me dead in my tracks, so I don't completely screw myself up.
  

Tomorrow, I'm participating in TMI Thursday and I'm psyched. I have so many TMI's, it is ridiculous!

Diet, Exercise, and adapting to new way of life....

I started a journey today!

Goals for the next 6 weeks:

1. Run 4-6 days a week. I will be running every Saturday and Sunday.
   
2. Lose 6-8 pounds.
3. Fit into my skinny jeans(I'm a snug 8 right now, my skinny jeans are a 6).
4. Journal all food intake.
5. Cut back on sweets, soda, coffee, and eating just to eat(well, i'll cut that out completely).
6. Clear my mind and learn to better handle my stress.
7. Drink more water!
   

Long term goals:

1. Kiss the "Love Handles" goodbye for good. This will be the biggest challenge, as I have scoliosis and my back is aligned in such a way that I will ALWAYS look heavier in that particular section.
2. Make running a part of my life!
3. Fit comfortably into a size 3-4.
4. Continue to eat in a healthy way.

Any tips would be greatly appreciated. How do you stay in shape?

Continuous Changes...

Life is constantly evolving, that's no mystery to anyone!

Sometimes I wonder where my life would have taken me had I made different decisions...

If I chose to stay with my high school sweetheart, would I be happy?
If I chose NOT to quit my previous job, would I have gotten laid off like the others?
If I chose to have my cosmetic surgery, would I feel as good about myself as I do today?
If I chose NOT to have an online dating profile, would I have met the love of my life some other way?

That's the beauty of life. You never know where you're going to go. It's all a surprise, a mystery of who we are and who we will become. Even upon being stuck in the same place, following the same motions...there will ALWAYS be a surprise. Someway, Somehow...something unexpected will happen.

No matter how many times I question my decisions, there's always one thing I will never question. Who I am now and what I have found.

My life has more meaning now, than it ever has before. I finally feel like i'm on a path headed in the right directions, instead of being stuck at the fork in the road. Most of my life I have been stuck there and could never decide the best path.

One day, I woke up and ACCEPTED the changes my life has taken. Upon accepting, I truly grasped and appreciated the path I have taken. I no longer take my confusion of...who am I?....What am I meant to do?...Why am I here?....Out on anyone. That alone has changed everything in my life!

Now, I realize that my life will constantly change and I just have to grasp it, learn from it, accept it and push forward!