Sick-

Last night at the gym my throat felt a little funny, but I didn't think much of it.This morning when I got up,my ears were kind of bothering me and my throat felt really scratchy. I decided to bite the bullet and see if the doctor could fit me in today so that I could nip this in the bud. An hour and a half at the doctor's office,two shots, and two antibiotics later I am officially "sick." The doc said she was very happy that I decided to come on in because the throat issues could have turned into strep if I had waited too long. I have ear infections in both ears. I don't have any fever and honestly other than a little fatigue and the scratchy throat I don't feel too bad. Today will be my official rest day from exercise. Tomorrow I will play it by ear....if nothing else I want to get in my 30 Day Shred routine since it is the first day of the challenge. I am hoping the shots will do their magic and I will be feeling fine tomorrow and can continue with the fall exercise routine. But I will not push myself too hard. I took a sick day, and tomorrow starts my "vacation" from work through the end of the week. So I should have plenty or recovery time :) I'm off to have soup and liquids! Hope y'all have a great day!

Drop Dead Gorgeous by December -Weekly Report 2

1. A picture of you holding up a positive sign for yourself.

My sign says, "In Control Away from Home!" to remind me that weekend trips aren't a reason for out of 

 control eating. I wish the picture was a little better because I am standing in a life size bird's nest at the Chattanooga Nature Center.

2. Your current week’s weight as well as your challenge start weight. *optional

Challenge Start Weight : 193.5
Current Weight: 193

3. Your goal(s) from now, or whenever you decide to join, until December.

Goal 1: 200 tracked workout miles...(treadmill, street runs,biking,elliptical,swimming,etc)  20 Miles tracked this week: 6 treadmill, 2 elliptical, 12 cycling
Goal 2: 5k in under 40 mins - Starting Couch to 5k again working on speed during run interval :Week 1 finished.
Goal 3: Journal food 5days a week- Journaled using Sparkpeople 5 days
Goal 4: New Goal- Doing something each week to make myself feel gorgeous- This week I treated myself to getting my eyebrows waxed. Having my eyebrows done always makes me feel a bit more put together, and it is something I don't treat myself to often enough!

4. ONE thing that you are proud of for the week.

Working everyday towards my goals.This was a tough week with my Aunt and Best Friend's son both in serious accidents, but I didn't allow the stress to influence my eating or fitness plans.

5. ONE thing that you can improve upon for the following week.
Strength training has always been a struggle for me. This week I will strength train at least one day by doing a half hour circuit ST workout at the gym.

Three Things Thursday

1. Thanks for your prayers for my Aunt and Will. Both are doing much better. Will actually got to come home from the hospital this morning which shocked us! My aunt has had one surgery and another one is scheduled for tomorrow morning. Both are so lucky and I am so thankful.

2.  Tommy and I had already planned to go to Chattanooga, Tn this weekend for baseball. Since both are doing so well, we are going to keep our plans. I enjoy Chattanooga and look forward to the weekend. We are planning to visit the zoo and some caverns while there so I am sure I will get my two hours of activity in no problem.

3. Three days in, and I am really enjoying my new workout schedule. I will be participating in the 30 day shred challenge over at livesmilerun. I completed the 30 day shred in March and loved the way it made me feel. STRONG! But after I finished the original 30 days I stopped and haven't been motivated until now to do it again. I am really hoping between the Drop Dead Gorgeous by December and 30 Day Shred  Challenges I will finally bust through this lower 190s plateau I have been dealing with for months...and month! My fitness goals have kept me motivated with my journey, but seeing the scale move would be AMAZING!

Oh What a Night!

Last night was a gorgeous night, so I sat outside to write my blog and browse some of my favorites. When I went in, I had 10 missed calls and several new voice mails and immediately knew something had to be wrong.
My Aunt had fallen down a flight of stairs in my Uncle's work shed and landed with her head crashing into he work bench. She was unconscious and had lost quite a bit of blood so they med-flighted her to a bigger hospital about two hours away. My mother wanted to go to the hospital and wanted me to come and stay with my grandmother for the night so she would not be alone during everything. My mom lives about 45 minutes from my house so I quickly packed an overnight bag and headed out. About 15 minutes after arriving at my mom's house, my best friend called and her youngest son (age 11) had been in an accident and they were sending him to Children's Hospital in Birmingham (about 2 hours away).

They are both doing okay today, but please keep them both in your thoughts. Both had surgery last night/this morning and things have calmed down a bit. My aunt has a long road ahead of her, which will include multiple surgeries on her face. She had her knees replaced a couple of years ago, and the fall has caused problems with them as well. I am sure Will will have to do physical therapy and possibly more surgery.

I am still in shock from both events. I didn't get much sleep last night because I was so anxious and waiting to hear updates on both of them. I asked Melissa if she needed me to come and be with the two of them, but she said she has everything she needs and they will hopefully be home soon.

Last night, while waiting to hear reports, I wanted to eat so bad (emotional eating gets me every time)! But I had closed my food journal for the day and knew that any food I would eat would not be for the right purpose. Today I plan to go to the gym after work and enjoy the stress relief that a good workout gives.

Please keep my friends and family in your thoughts!

Oops, I did it again!

I forgot my shoes (and socks)  at home today! I really think I need to invest in another pair to leave in my car...along with extra socks, sports bra, and workout clothes. I just couldn't believe I forgot my shoes on Day 2 of my new workout schedule. When I got home they were sitting right by the front door. UGH! I had worn sandals to work today and knew that I couldn't workout in them. Luckily, I had a pair of slip-on backless tennis shoes in my trunk and I ran into a store next to the gym and bought a pair of cheap socks *I hate cheap socks* and was able to get in a workout.  I did two miles on the elliptical (almost falling out of my shoes several times) and three miles on the bike. I was pleased to get in the workout, but so aggravated with myself for not have my gym shoes.

After the gym, I met up with my girlfriend Helen for a mini girl's night. We had been planning this night for awhile and it was something I needed. I ate very sensibly and have already journaled my meal including my margarita splurge. I can't even remember the last time I had had a margarita, so I enjoyed every sip.

Working toward DDGbD Goals and Fall Workout Schedule

Tommy brought these flowers home for me this weekend. I thought they were just beautiful  (and reminded me of fall) and wanted to share them with you guys. I really have a wonderfully thoughtful husband. He is always full of little surprises for me...we have been married for three years and together for over five, and I hope that I never take him for granted, though I know I do.

I have decided to use SparkPeople to journal my food for the challenge. I have used various online food journals,but I think Spark's community atmosphere will be good for me.

I have created a fall workout schedule that I hope I can keep for the next few months. There will always be little unexpected surprises during the week, when I may have to work late or visit a different library, but I am hoping that I can keep up this new schedule. Following this schedule, I will earn 20 miles per week and be able to make my DDGbD goal of 200 miles by December.

I have decided to use the Couch to 5k program again this fall to hopefully help me work on my speed. This program prepared me for my first few 5ks and I hope it will help me to improve my time this go around. I will work to complete all the run intervals at a 5.3mph speed so that I will be able to accomplish my DDGbD goal of a 5k in under 40 minutes.

This is my Fall Workout Schedule

Mondays- Couch to 5k Day 1 + walking to complete 2miles, 3miles on Bike
Tuesdays- 5miles Elliptical
Wednesdays- Couch to 5k Day 2 + walking to complete 2 miles, 3miles on Bike
Thursdays- Rest Day
Friday- Couch to 5k Day 3 + walking to complete 2miles, 3miles on Bike

Saturdays/Sundays- 2 hours of physical activity... This will vary depending on the weekend,but will hopefully include some outdoor activities when the weather cools down a bit. A new dance studio has opened that will be offering Zumba, depending on the price I may check into doing a class on Saturday.

I will also throw in some strength training during the week, I hate it, but I know I need it.

Today I completed the Monday workout and everything went well, except for a boob that was trying to escape my sports bra the entire evening. I believe its time to retire that bra :)

Drop Dead Gorgeous by December -Weekly Report 1

Drop Dead Gorgeous Report Week 1 1. A picture of you holding up a positive sign for yourself.

2. Your current week’s weight as well as your challenge start weight. *optional

Challenge Start Weight : 193.5
Current Weight: 193.5

3. Your goal(s) from now, or whenever you decide to join, until December.

Goal 1: 200 tracked workout miles...(treadmill, street runs,biking,elliptical,swimming,etc)
Goal 2: 5k in under 40 mins
Goal 3: Journal food 5days a week

4. ONE thing that you are proud of for the week.

I guess this will be answered next week, but I am proud that I joined this challenge!

5. ONE thing that you can improve upon for the following week.
Consistent workouts

Drop Dead Gorgeous By December Challenge

I knew when I finished my Labor Day Challenge Sunday that I wanted to get involved with another challenge quickly. I was so excited yesterday when I read about Half of Jess's Drop Dead Gorgeous by December Challenge! This is just what I was looking for in a challenge. It is about setting goals and being good to yourself and will run through December! It starts Sunday, but she says you can join at any time.  If you are looking for a good challenge for yourself, check out her site! This could be what you are looking for, too!

Three Things Thursday

1. This week has been a fail in terms of workouts. I was on a high after finishing my 100 miles Sunday and today I'm feeling low that I haven't been in the gym for 3 days. I work and go to the gym about 45 minutes from my house. This week I have been doing training for other libraries (on the opposite side of the county)  in the afternoons and haven't wanted to drive back to hit the gym. I should be getting up in the morning to go before work...but I haven't. And because I have been on the road so much mid-day workouts haven't really worked either.Today is a new day though...and I don't have trainings this afternoon so I am looking forward to gym time.

2.   I am so ready for fall. The heat and humidity of the summer is driving me crazy.It is full on miserable to be outside during the day.  I am ready for cooler days, the leaves changing, Mums and Pumpkins on porches, football Saturdays,sweet smelling candles, and soup for dinner. I have decided to make a new soup pot my reward for the Labor Day Challenge. I will take a picture when I buy it :)

3.  My best friend from college recently started biking. We live about an hour from each other and don't see each other nearly as much as we'd like, but talk on the phone at least once a week. She has been encouraging me to get a bike so that we can meet up occasionally on the weekends for rides. This sounds lovely, so I am trying to save some money for a bike. I really like the vintage cruisers. Do any of you bike? Has your bike been a good fitness investment?

Labor Day Challenge Complete!

WooHoo! I completed my Labor Day Challenge of 100 miles on the treadmill! This has been a wonderful challenge for me. There were so many days when I just wanted to go home instead of hitting the gym but this challenge truly kept me accountable.
I still haven't decided how to reward myself, and honestly I think the biggest reward was stepping off the treadmill yesterday knowing I had met a goal I had set for myself.

What goals have you all made this summer? Have you completed your goal? Anyone interested in joining a fall challenge if I host it?

Finally Friday!

Thanks for all your support and encouragement on my last post! (Even if y'all are a bunch of okra haters... ) I was able to complete the 1.5 mile run today. It wasn't pretty, but honestly very few of my runs are. When I hit the first mile I thought about stopping, but I wanted to be able to tell you guys that I had completed the run and kept pushing through the block. I think I am going to stick to the 1.5 mile runs a few more times before adding more distance. I really want to be back up to 3 miles by mid September when the road races start back up here.
Tomorrow I should finish my Labor Day Challenge of 100 miles! I know I want to challenge myself with another fitness goal to keep my momentum up exercise. This challenge has been so good for me and really kept me in the gym when Summer got crazy and I wanted to just go home after work instead of working out. Has anyone seen any Challenges on other blogs that are about to start up? There is just something about the "challenge" that keeps me excited and going.
Hope you all have a great weekend. Mine will be spend mostly hanging out around the house. I can't wait! :)

Road Block and Okra

I attempted the 1.5 mile run today without success. I think it was mostly a mental road block that caused the lack of success. I did finish a one mile run, and then did another mile of walking. I will try again tomorrow. I know that I am capable of running 3.1 miles...it may just take my mind and legs a while to remember.

Tonight I made boiled okra to go with our dinner. My husband had only had okra fried, but even he approved of the healthy side dish. I simply boiled my okra in a 1/2 cup of water for about 10 minutes, drained, and seasoned with a bit of sea salt and cracked pepper. Delish...and soo low calorie! :)

Building Back Up!

Since my sketchy knee issue a few weeks ago, I haven't  been doing alot of  running. I have walked quite a bit, and worked on quarter-mile intervals, but no jogging more than a quarter-mile at a time. Yesterday I was determined to start building my jogging mileage back up again. Yesterday, I did my first mile long jog in weeks. I took it slow and easy and was a hot sweaty mess by the end of that mile. I walked another two mile for a 3 mile total. Today I am going to attempt 1.5 miles...if I am able to make that I will continue  gradually building up until I am back to running 5ks on a regular basis.  Wish me luck!

**Edit...when I got the the gym I had not brought a top. I had gym pants, sport's bra, shoes, socks, charged iPod...and no shirt (How does this happen...?) I thought about running to the mall to buy a top to wear, but knew that would make getting home even later and decided to use a rest day. I will be doing a midday workout on Wednesday with my 1.5 mile jogging attempt. :)

Three Things Thursday

I have noticed many blogs feature a Three Things Thursday and thought I would join in the fun this week.

1.  I have enjoyed a few days off work this week. I needed the break and have had a nice time not having a schedule. Yesterday, Tommy was off too, and we enjoyed a great day just hanging out.  These days are good for the soul.

2.  Today I did a 4.5 mile walk. I am really starting to enjoy and value these longer walks and know I am going to incorporate them into my new workout plan when I finish the Labor Day Challenge.

3. Speaking of the Labor Day Challenge, I "should" finish my 100 miles at the end of next week. I have had a great time working to complete this challenge.  I know that next week I will reward myself when I finish the challenge, but not sure what the reward will be. I have thought about a small piece of jewelry. Or the Nike iPod sensor so that I can better track my runs when I start road running again next month. I will let you guys know what I decide. :)

YUM!

You must try these! They are so easy to make and so yummy! My new go to on a hot summer's day! Thanks for the idea Brittany!