Finally!!

I had intended on writing this yesterday but once again got busy and sidetracked. Gavin and I are visiting Waukon this weekend (kind of an early Mother's Day thing since next weekend will be busy with graduation activities). I was trying to pack, tidy up, and organize myself for the trip so I abandoned the computer.

So today is the first of May (didn't find a May basket by my door sadly) and I've decided that this will be the "month of change". The weather should become better and more constant, I'm getting so much closer to the completion of my thesis, and I'm that much closer to figuring out what to do with my future. That being said....I also need to get my lifestyle changes back on track. I'm barely exercising....making poor (convenient) food choices and I have been feeling rather blah for weeks. I wouldn't feel so blah if I ate better and exercised on a daily basis. I know I'd also sleep better if I fixed those areas.

Sadly I cannot take our bikes to Waukon this weekend. I had high hopes of biking with my mom and other family members but I cannot take my bike apart! I have nifty wheels that detach from the bike but I cannot figure out how to remove the brakes correctly. The last thing I want to do is break something on this bike because I know it will cost a fortune to fix. Gavin's bike also proved to be cumbersome and would not fit into the trunk. My uncle got it to fit in their once and I'm confused as to how he did it. It makes me want a truck or SUV type vehicle that much more! I want to be able to transport things easier especially when it comes to biking or camping.

Anyway, the point of this entry is that I need better nutrition in my life and more activity! I have been cooking more at home but I'm not watching my portions and it seems so easy to just grab food on some days. It's quite the chain of events. If things overall improved in my life (diet and exercise) I wouldn't be so tired each day because I'd sleep better. If I wasn't so tired I'd be more energetic about cooking and eating better foods. I'd also be more motivated to exercise. Easy to type into this entry....more difficult to initiate in my life. But I will do it! Bring on my month of change! (Whenever I call it that I also think of menopause---hahaha!)

Here is a great picture to get you ladies into the Mother's Day spirit!

Burning a hole through my pocket...update

So, today was a success. I got lots of cute clothes for work, a new purse (I've been looking for one FOREVER), pots for my new plants and my mom's mother's day present. I spent a little more than I wanted to but I didn't go over my budget too terribly much. I feel really good about everything I got and had a fun day shopping. I am now officially outfitted for the summer! Here's hoping the good weather sticks around so that I can wear some of my new stuff this week!

Anyway, I'm busy making cookies now...I wanted heath cookies so I decided to make some and I'll take the rest to work tomorrow. Have a great Sunday night and a successful week!

Burning a hole through my pocket...

Happy Sunday ladies!! I don't have a lot to report to you this morning but I just wanted to check in. This has been a good weekend for me. I got some thesis work done yesterday and will hopefully get a little bit more done today. I have also decided to engage in some retail therapy this weekend. When I got my taxes done I decided that I wasn't going to spend any of it on frivilous things and put it all in my savings and use it for bills as needed. Then I found out that my state tax refund was wrong and that I had $351 more than I thought comming my way. So, I decided that I would spend that on things for me and save my federal.

Well, last night I bought the first 3 seasons of Bones off of amazon but I still have lots more to spend so I think I'm going to go buy some new clothes for work. I am desperately in need of new summery tops so I figure now is the time. There seem to be some great deals out there right now and I've got the money (and if I don't spend it on work clothes I'll spend it on something less useful). Anyway, I'll let you know how my exploits go today!

I hope your both having a wonderful Sunday! Keep up the good work ladies!!

I tried on a skirt.....

Hey ladies-

I took a shopping trip to Lane Bryant this morning to restock on shorts and capri shorts. I had decent luck, I now have stuff to wear below the waist. I actually saw an amazing skirt at the store that I tried on and considered buying for an upcoming wedding in June. It uses the salmon and brown colors that inspired my last clothing choices from the store. I tried finding a picture at LaneBryant.com but it's not listed. Odd. I've never worn an knee length skirt before so I couldn't tell if it was flattering or not so I didn't buy it. I spent enough money anyway and I'm sort of worried about it because I'm only getting half of a paycheck in May and money will probably become tight soon. I didn't have any decent denim shorts or capris though and I feel like a slob wearing Nike athletic shorts everywhere. Sadly the capris I purchased at Torrid last year didn't last as long as I wanted. Both pairs were too worn or ripped by the end of the summer. I wore them a ton though so maybe that's expected.

I've eaten breakfast this week which is an odd occurence but so far I'm enjoying it. Gavin and I made a random trip to the grocery store earlier in the week for cereal, frozen fruit, etc and I decided to buy hash browns. I've browned some each morning (added cheese too, yes I know it's naughty) and usually had a Nutragrain bar too. I've noticed that my eating has been more controlled all week and I never get that starved feeling. Go figure. I'm trying to get into more of a routine with breakfast because Gavin definitely needs to eat more before school and on the days before he leaves for camp in the summer. He's always famished when he gets home from school because he's not eating school lunch well either.

I don't have any tips or ideas to share. I did enjoy your last blog though Nicole. I don't enjoy the fact you're struggling but you brought some valid points to our attention. Most people struggle when trying to "fix" one aspect of their lifestyle and here we are trying to fix two or more. I admit that its not the greatest time in my life to be making huge changes but since we are adults there is always going to be something to use as an excuse or obstacle. I have other things on the back burner that I want to fix in my life too. My diet, physical activity levels, and sleeping habits are most important of course. I also want to be more social too. I really hope I can take the time to hang out with friends, make new friends, visit family, etc this summer but it's hard to commit to that if I'm searching for a job or struggling with other after-graduation issues.

I plan on reading through more of Love Hunger today so maybe I'll have some inspiring questions or tips from those authors. I think the last thing I did with that book was write my life story and I stopped reading it. Whoops.

Only one more day until Friday! Enjoy the wonderful weather ladies!

The Devil and a turtle singing Roy Orbison...

Ladies, we need to talk...and by we need to talk I mean I need to write something and then I need for you to reply and help me figure out an answer to my problem...my damn problem! I am having one hell of a time sticking to my lifestyle goals. Now don't get me wrong, my physical activity is going well...actually it's freakin' fantastic. I've been on the treadmill 3 days a week and supplementing those workouts with my dance DVD and weights. My eating, on the other hand, isn't where I want it to be. I haven't been cheating horribly but I just cannot seem to stay on top of this piece of the puzzle. So, here is my dilemma...I have never been able to get both components of my lifestyle change on the same path. I either seem to do really well with eating and suck at the exercise or vice versa. I need to find a way to keep up with both. I'm in a really good swing with the exercise and don't see that dropping off in the near future. I do my treadmill workouts after work so I have some accountability there because Corey asks me every M-W-F if I'm going to workout and would know if I'm skipping. I feel pretty confident in the fact that I am sticking to this. So, what I really need to do, is figure out a way to keep up with the food end of things. As much as I hate the thought of doing it, I feel like journaling what I eat would be beneficial. I think I am going to start tomorrow and see how it goes. I am really serious about making this work and I think this will help me get back on track. Now, I am willing to entertain any suggestions that you fine ladies might have concerning my dilemma...you have great minds and I value your opinions so let me know what you're thinking.


Well, the business part of this blog is complete now onto the title. First let me say this, Pizza Bob's is the DEVIL!!! On Wednesday's our department orders from Pizza Bob's. It's a standard pizza sandwich shop that makes lots of really tasty and bad for you things. I generally don't order because it's a little on the spendy side and I tend to bring my own lunch. Well, today I forgot my lunch. Thankfully it was Pizza Bob's day, however, while my lunch was yummy, Pizza Bob's is the Devil! I had a whole wheat chapati (it's a salad in a whole wheat pizza dough pocket) with tuna salad. It was amazing but I don't want to think of how many calories it was. Now, if I had been doing well with my eating in general this moment of weakness wouldn't bother me so much but seems how my diet in general has been in the toilet I am feeling more guilty about my Pizza Bob's indulgence...oh well, I'm going to move beyond this!


Now, don't you kids worry, I have no intentions of leaving this blog before I explain the turtle. I was very bored at work today and decided to look for a video of Andrea Bocelli singing Con te Partiro. While I found the video that I was looking for and was able to enjoy it thoroughly...the man is a genius, I also struck a bored girl at work goldmine...Terry Fator. I don't know how one goes from a flawless tenor to a man who has a turtle who sings Roy Orbison but the wonder of youtube is that just this thing happened to me today. It's amazing how this video instantly made me smile and turned my day from boring to entertaining. I have attached it here for your viewing pleasure. So, if you're feeling down and out or just a little blue, watch the greatest ventriloquist to ever walk the earth...you won't regret it!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4iVAkqioZgE


Alright, I've rambled on for long enough. Have a great night ladies, stay strong and press on!!!

I like a Miley Cyrus song......

Hey-

Well it's official.....I like the new song from the Miley Cyrus movie. I heard it yesterday when we drove to Des Moines. I doubt I'll admit this to many people. The main line in the chorus basically says "It's not what's on the other side of the mountain....it's the climb". It's one of those songs that talks about the importance of the journey rather than the destination. I found the message applicable to many things in my life. I'm not downplaying my destinations (graduating, finishing the thesis, losing weight, etc.) but I really do need to stop and appreciate the process that is helping me accomplish my goals. I have to value the difficult days as much as the great days because everything contributes to me finishing school or changing my lifestyle for the better.

Gavin and I went to Des Moines so I could participate in my "last supper" prior to kicking my lifestyle changes back into gear this week. We went to Ruby Tuesdays so I could have my bison bacon burger and their glorious salad bar. I actually didn't eat much there but the 2/3rds of my burger was delicious. Gavin even tried the burger and loved it. His best quote of the evening was "I didn't know an extinct animal tasted like this." He and I had a very productive and busy weekend. He and I attended VEISHEA activities on Saturday with my aunt Shirley. I also attended a baby shower and cleaned a little bit in the apartment. Sunday was a great cleaning day because it gave me an opportunity to go through all the closets and dressers. My abundance of tshirts has been problematic lately so a fair amount was donated to Good Will. Like I mentioned in a comment for LeAnn's blog, I've been watching "What Not to Wear" on TLC and I'm trying to improve my sense of fashion by not always dressing in tshirts and hooded sweatshirts. I was also running out of room in my closet because of all of the stupid tshirts hanging there. I was pleased when looking through Gavin's clothing because he has a suitable amount of clothes for the summer. I also tossed some of his favorite (both old and grungy) tshirts so he's more inclined to wear the new clothing I've recently purchased from Old Navy.

Anyway....it felt really great yesterday to be constantly busy and occupied. I had to move alot of storage bins and boxes in and out of closets so the day constituted as a functional fitness day. So many of my weekends have been blah this year and I get very lazy on those days off. I seriously think the weather had a lot to do with my energy this weekend (even though a lot of it was rainy). It's so nice to wake up now and see sunlight and enjoy that same sunlight until after 8pm.

Wishing you all happy eating and exercising this week!

Tastey, light on the pasta, pasta dish...

So, I love pasta but I know that I shouldn't be eating a ton of pasta while I'm trying to lose weight (even whole wheat pasta). So, I've been trying to make heart dishes with pasta that have lots of other ingredients so that I don't have to eat as much pasta to be satisfied. Now, I know that you Smith girls are a little bit picky and I know for sure that Jenny doesn't like shrimp but the shrimp can easily be exchanged with chicken or turkey sausage or left out all together. It's easy to make and the ingredients can be purchased and prepared whenever you want (most of it isn't perishable).

Nicole's Pasta 2:
1 bag frozen broccoli florets
1 cup fresh chopped mushrooms (you can use canned if you prefer)
1/2 onion chopped
2 cloves garlic
1 c. uncooked penne pasta
15-20 frozen fully cooked shrimp
Chicken broth
Corn starch


1. Boil salted water for the pasta. Cook the pasta to your desired tenderness. Drain and rinse.
2. In 2 tbs olive oil saute mushrooms, garlic and onions until the onions are tender. Drain excess fluid. Mix in 1 tablespoon corn starch. Add small amounts of chicken broth and heat to thicken. Add enough broth to get the sauce to the consistency you desire. Add broccoli florets, I always pick out the broccoli tops from the stems (I don't like the stems but if you do feel free to add them). Heat through. Mix in pasta and add shrimp. Cook long enough to just heat the shrimp through, salt and pepper to taste and then serve.

This is a very heart satisfying dish with lots of veggies. You still get the pasta but it's not the most abundant ingredient.

Glorious weather and no more cherries...

WOW! I cannot even begin to explain to you how fantastic it is here today. I'm sure it's very similar to the weather that you fine ladies had yesterday but it's 75, sunny and gorgeous! I woke up this morning rearing and ready to go. I weighed myself this morning and was down to 294.6...I am gradually getting back to the ever elusive 30 lb. benchmark. I've gotten close and then I keep falling off the bandwagon. This time, I'm not going to. I am close and withing the next few weeks I will finally be there...and I cannot wait!

I got a call yesterday from H&R Block telling me that my state taxes were finalized. I had to run down today and pick up my Iowa returns so I could mail them. When I had my taxes done earlier in the week, I was told that I was going to get a whopping $5 back from the state of Michigan. Well, much to my surprise, when I get tot he office today, they had changed my state taxes and I am getting almost $400 back. Now, I don't know about you but I think that's much better than $5!! Because of the beautiful weather, my happy scale experience and the fabulous weather, I decided to grab some Cold Stone (which is right next to H&R Block). I have been craving a chocolate cake batter ice cream with dark cherries. So, I went in and dammit!!!! They don't have dark cherries any more...bastards!!! I like Cold Stone but I LOVE dark cherries. On one hand, I was sad to not get what I wanted (maraschino cherries are not the same) but on the other, my desire to eat there is pretty much nil now.

Anyway, I am off to clean my car...it needs it desperately. I hope that you have a great weekend! Stay strong and press on!

Waiting for Bill Cosby to walk thru the door....

Howdy-

I just finished making some cranberry jello and Jello brand chocolate pudding hence the title to this entry. He was the guy that endorsed Jello products right? I wanted to have some healthier, sweet snack options on hand so I scavenged the cupboards and found various Jellos and a couple pudding mixes. I had an exceptional day even though I only worked and didn't do anything real fun.

I made some good progress with the research project I helped with the past several weeks. It's my job to contact any principals, PE teachers, etc that have neglected to send questionnaires, lesson plans, or other materials back to us. Lots of Internet searches for email addresses, lots of faxing, and other secretarial work. It really sucked that I was sitting inside an office today (with no windows!) staring at a computer when it was so beautiful outside.

When I got home from picking Gavin up from school, I realized that I had forgotten to swing back to campus to water the greenhouses. I have to work there twice a day since temperatures are so much warmer. I don't mind it since more hours = more $$$. Instead of getting back into the car, I decided that it would be best to bike to campus and back. I have been itching to ride my bike since it's sat in my bedroom all winter just staring at me. I need to wear my heart rate monitor next time because I'm interested to see what my heart rate was on some of the hills. I ran a quick errand to Walmart this morning and decided to use my Easter gift card (thanks Mom!) to buy a bike helmet for myself. I always make Gavin wear his helmet and based on some of the driving I've seen in Ames lately....I really should wear one too. Ironically, I didn't wear it on tonight's bike trip because I forgot I bought it this morning. Whoopsie.

I was extremely peppy and energetic when I got home from the bike ride so Gavin and I did some work outside. I cleaned up my flower garden and planted my wild flower mix that I buy each year. Gavin picked up litter around the apartment building for his Go Green project at school. I then made the pasta dish recipe that Nicole posted on the blog last week because I wanted something tasty and wholesome. Nothing from a can or box for me today!

I really wish I had this energy and attitude every day. This weight loss/lifestyle change would be so much easier for me. I have been in a funk for most of 2009 thanks to my thesis. Instead of thinking about the positives in my life, I have focused on the negatives and stress. No wonder I slept poorly for quite awhile and started getting nasty headaches. (A dental problem may be causing the headaches too. A recent filling is being troublesome.) I really need to look at the brightside, push through the crap, get my thesis done the way I want it, and graduate like a rock star. I really want to move on with my life and do something I love. I DO NOT love grad school anymore.

Here are some goals I am setting for myself:

1) We will eat out 1-2 times a week. I have become impulsive and it is embarrassing to look back at the last month and see how much we've eaten out. I need to be saving money and eating wholesome food at home.

2) I will exercise daily. If I don't run on the treadmill, Gavin and I will bike. (need to check out the heart rate thing though....)

Ok, that's all I have for tonight. Have a good weekend ladies!

I dreamed a dream

I have been wracking my brain trying to think of something fun, inspirational, uplifting, motivating and appropriate to share with you ladies. It's spring and the winter is behind us (at least I desperately hope it is). I feel like this is the perfect time to renew our interest and energy in this lifestyle change. I know that we have had our ups and down this winter, moments of joy and sadness, victory and defeat, success and setbacks, not only in our attempts at a healthier life but also in school, work, family and relationships. I know that there is a long and bumpy road ahead of is in many areas of our lives but I wanted to share a little something to help us stick to the course and make it to the end of our journey.

I've recently been checking out other weight loss blogs. There are some great inspirational stories out there if we look for them. I've even invited some of the other authors to come to our blog and read. I feel as though our struggles and success can help them in their journeys too! I actually intended on writing about some of the other blogs that I've stumbled across but instead I want to share something with you. This is a story. I happened across this when checking my news stories for the day. Normally I wouldn't click on a link like this but for some reason I did, and I was delighted by what I found!

I don't know how familiar any of you are with American Idol. It is a guilty pleasure of mine and even though I'm not watching it this season I know all about it's most famous judge...Simon Cowell. He is haughty, over opinionated, sometimes tactless but he's generally right. Along with AI, he is also a judge on Britain's Got Talent. Apparently the first episode of the season aired on Saturday. Along with other dancers, musicians, ventriloquists and what have you, there was a woman who would shock the world. If you walked by her on the street she is the type of woman you wouldn't ever remember, probably not even notice unless it was to mock her (not me of course, I've judge on appearances far too many times to do that to others). This woman is Susan Boyle, an unemployed 48-year old, who's never been kissed, but has a burning desire to sing. Now, I don't want to give anything away, you simply must see it to believe it. I am not a gifted enough writer to capture the emotion of her song and the responses she got. It was such a moving performance of a very sad song that it gave me goosebumps and almost brought me to tears.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9lp0IWv8QZY&NR=1

Now, you may be wondering what this has to do with our blog and weight loss. While it doesn't directly have any connection the moral of this story is very similar to the moral of our stories. How many times have we attempted to lose weight? How many times have we failed? How many times have people thought, they can't do this...look at them, there is no way they have it in them. Well bollocks I say (like the use of British slang??)!! Nobody thought Susan would be able to sing at all (just remember the faces, rolled eyes, snickers from the audience and judges) let alone bring down the house. While I doubt that any of us will be blowing away thousands of people in an auditorium with our musical ability, we can shock the hell out of our friends and family and selves by finally sticking with our plans and making our dreams a reality. Imagine how amazing we will feel when we reach our goals? Think of how Susan felt when she was behind stage after her performance. Think of the elation, the joy, the emotion! What motivation for us. I want that feeling, I want it bad! Let's get to work ladies...victory will be ours!

Recipes for Jenny...

When Jenny was in Michigan I made some dishes and here are the recipes. I don't generally do recipes for my homemade dishes so this is as close as I can remember. Enjoy!

Scalloped Corn:
1 can cream style corn
1 egg
1 tsp sugar
1/2 stack crushed saltine crackers (more or less depending on how firm you want it)
salt and pepper to taste

mix everything together in a bowl, place in a greased baking dish and bake at 375 until firm in the middle and brown on top (usually 30-45 minutes).

Nicole's Pasta:
1/2 chicken breast
1/2 onion chopped
2-3 cloves garlic
1/3 pkg. cream cheese (regular or reduced fat)
1 can diced tomatoes
1.5 cup fresh or 1 can mushrooms
1.5 cups chicken broth
1/2 box short pasta of choice (I tend to go with whole wheat penne)
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

In a pan, saute mushrooms and onions in olive oil. When onions are soft add cut up chicken and garlic, cook until chicken is done. Add tomatoes and heat through. While cooking chicken start water to boil for pasta, cook just short of al dente (you'll finish it off in the sauce). In a pan, add chicken broth and cream cheese, melt cheese into broth and bring to boil, stirring constantly. Reduce sauce to thicken. Add pasta, chicken and veggies and cook together until pasta is as tender as you'd like it. Finish with Parmesan cheese.

I've got no catchy title...

Happy Easter ladies! I hope that you're both having a wonderful day and enjoying this absolutely gorgeous, sunny, amazing day (...suddenly hoping it's as nice there as it is here). I don't have anything earth shattering to share with you but I just thought I would update you. This was a good week for me. I got in my desired level of physical activity and did really well with eating. I only ate out once and didn't miss it to be perfectly honest. I've been trying to come up with some new recipes and have had some fairly good luck with things. Before this week I was not feeling very dedicated to my goals and that has turned around this week and it's making me feel good. I like it when things are on track...which they are! I had put a few pounds back on and I'm moving back in the right direction!

Now, I don't have anything else really so I will leave you with this random tidbit that I ran across online this week...

In Shakespeare's time, mattresses were secured on bed frames by ropes. When you pulled on the ropes the mattress tightened, making the bed firmer to sleep on. Hence the phrase "goodnight, sleep tight".

Fallen off the wagon.....

Howdy-

I've fallen off the wagon and I'm lying on the road half a mile behind it. I let the stress of my thesis ruin my plan. Alas I'm not permanently deterred. I know I can get back on track with my food choices and exercise. I know that running on a regular basis (and hopefully biking too) will actually help keep the stress levels lower too.

I ended my subscription with Weight Watchers. (That sounds so much better than saying that I quit--ha ha.) March was a crazy month and I couldn't attend regularly. I also decided that I don't need to report to an environment that I'm not completely comfortable with. I will miss some of the information but I hear there is something called the Internet so I'm sure I can find tips and weight loss information that is scientifically based. I already appreciate the fact that I'm saving $40 a month. I also have some motivation due to you Nicole. If you can change your lifestyle without reporting to a program each week....I sure the heck can. I'll just let you ladies know about my weight. Accountability at its finest.

In regards to exercise, I plan to start biking to campus on a regular basis. Gavin is also anxious for some bike rides and we should be getting his bike back tomorrow. I'm going to back track to week 3 or 4 on my running program and start that up on Monday.

Here is some information from my glorious "Biggest Loser" daily calendar:

--ounce for ounce, dark chocolate has five times as many antioxidants as blueberries. I hope that doesn't deceive some women to binge on dark chocolate!

--a healthier option for high temperature cooking is grapeseed oil. I guess I've never seen this much but I've never really looked either. I have a suspicion that it may be pricey like olive oil though. The calendar claims it relatively inexpensive though.

--Eat leaner meats. I know this isn't anything new to us. I had to mention it though because the experts associated with this show suggest eating BISON! How great is that Nicole! My love for bison is being reinforced. Happy day.

--Another date on the calendar discussed cultivating an attitude of fun. Once again I know this isn't earth shattering news to us since we are educated. The information had a valid point though. Fit, healthy people typically enjoy the activity for the sake of the activity. I immediately thought of tennis when I read that point. When I think of tennis I associate fun with the sport before I even think of it as exercise. The value of the activity is intrinsic....they don't do it to just trim their waistline. The fact that the activity is good for you should be a secondary reason. I think a lot of people get hung up on the fact that they need to do something that burns a lot of calories or fixes their bodies progressively. The issue with that is burn out and the high occurrence of drop out. I remember when I tried kickboxing because I thought it would tone my legs and help me look better. I hated it. I hated how I felt during it and I hated how I felt afterward. I just flat out did not enjoy that type of exercise and only did it for extrinsic benefits. All of this made me think about my running program. Was I actually trying to fix my aerobic endurance through running? I did used to enjoy it. I would get runner's high in high school and I would feel great for hours after track practice. Even when I was using the program regularly a month ago, I felt amazing afterward. I can confidently say I'm not just running because it burns calories and reduces my body fat. It may hurt sometimes but I love how I feel when I'm done and I seriously look forward to running a 5k.

My overdue blog entry is long enough so I'll sign off here.

I'm gonna brag--just a little...

DUDE...I had the day from hell at work! It started off poorly with my bus being late, which in turn made me 5 minutes late to work. Now this is not normally an issue but we were short a person today. On top of all of that I had 5 exercise tests today...FIVE, and it wasn't even my day for exercise tests. So now, I have 11 reports waiting to be written...yay me! I finally got a chance to stop and breathe, and eat (mind you it's now 2:45 and all I've had at this point was a piece of toast at 6:30). Suddenly, they needed a STAT EKG on the floor, then an add on cardioversion appeared then we needed 2 in patient Holters read STAT! Before I knew it it was 5:30 and I hadn't had a single break (except the 3 minutes I took to scarf down my pasta before the cardioversion).

When I finished my last Holter report I wanted nothing more than to stop, go home and have a giant margarita!!! Problem, I was planning on working out tonight after work...ugh. After spending 5.5 hours in the exercise lab today that was the last place I wanted to spend time after work. Even though I dreaded the thought, even though I just wanted to go home and crawl in bed, I didn't. I got my bag, got changed and did my work out. While I realize that this isn't the most amazing thing in the world that I've ever done, I've had far greater accomplishments in my 26.5 years, it certainly felt like it was today. It took a lot of will power and discipline to stay and work out ladies and now, I'm so glad that I did.

Anyway, that's all I really had to say. I'm starving and all I want to eat is an egg sandwich again (weird cravings...don't know why). I should go find something of nutritional value to eat with my egg! I hope you're having a wonderful day! Keep up the good work ladies!!

Back to work...

Well, I'm back in Michigan and ready to get back into the swing of things. My grandfather's funeral was very beautiful and it was so amazing to spend some time with my family. It was hard to come back but it was a little bit of a relief also. I can honestly say that I didn't give a single thought to my lifestyle change while I was home. I was pretty active chasing after little kids and running around helping my mom. There wasn't really a chance for me to be a couch potato. Eating wasn't fabulous but it wasn't horrible either. I didn't really over eat at all I just ate some crappy foods. It's funny how cake and cookies tend to go synonymously with funerals. When I got home I was dreading stepping on the scale just because I felt like it would be scary but to my surprise I didn't gain anything while I was home...yay! I intend to get back into the walk/run program this week and will be sticking to my menu.

On a completely unrelated note, I was so excited to be in Iowa when the Supreme Court ruled the anti-gay marriage law was unconstitutional!!! This is a huge step in the equal rights movement and I hope that this means other states will step up and do what's right.

I hope you ladies had a great weekend and have a good week. Keep up the good work and press on!