Tuesday's Treats!

Today ended up being a busier day than normal for me.

I started my day by oversleeping which is probably why I felt rushed all morning.  Then I went on my run and showered/got ready super quickly.  I had video conference scheduled for 9am which was thankfully pushed to 10:30am, but I just barely made it.  The whole thing took about an hour and then I was able to catch lunch and errands with a friend.

To start my treats, I purchased a few new eyeshadows and more nail polish remover (all for around $7 at the drugstore!).  We looked and looked for some new sandals for my summer wardrobe -- but couldn't find any in the stores nearby.  

Then, once I was home and snacking, I found these gems on Amazon

They were on sale for $29.95,. which was right in my budget.  I'm hoping they'll last for this summer for date nights or girls days where my "go-to" Old Navy flip flops would be too under dressed...

How are you treating yourself this week?  

Do you run in the morning or at night?  

What shoes are your current "go-to" shoes?

Let me know in the comments below ^_^

Marathon Monday #5

Happy Marathon Monday everybody! 

My runs this week (as often happens) didn't go as planned.  I had planned 4 runs but only squeezed in three.  This week will be better!! :D

Here in the south, it's been RAINING pretty much every day.  It's nice for the crops and to break the humidity, but I do not run in thunderstorms! 

So here's how I did.

Tuesday - 1 min sprints with walking breaks in between

Thursday -- C25k Week 4

This workout has a 5 min warm up, 3 min run/1.5 min walk, 5 min run/2.5 min walk, 3 min walk/1.5 min walk, 5 min run and then a 5 min cool down.

It felt AWESOME!  I took things nice and easy -- but it was nice to run longer than a min or two at a time.

Sunday - C25k Week 4

This run, like the last one, was a 5 min warm up, 3 min run/1.5 min walk, 5 min run/2.5 min walk, 3 min walk/1.5 min walk, 5 min run and then a 5 min cool down.

 I wanted to show that my average pace was faster and my distance was a bit further due to a longer cool down.  I was surprised by this because this run ended with me getting caught in a major down pour!

What were your runs like this week?  

Do you run in the rain & avoid the thunderstorm?  

What are some tips to help keep electronics safe during wet weather?

Let me know in the comments below ^_^

Thursday Things

Hello!!  Here are some things from my Thursday

Hubby lost 8 pounds!!

Randomly, my hubby weighs in and sees an 8 pound loss!  How amazing!  The only things we've been doing are (1) cooking foods he likes & trying out new recipes and (2) strength training together.

To see such a huge weight loss is super encouraging -- especially since he wasn't "really trying".  Meaning he's not on a strict diet or weight loss program and he's not on a strict workout regiment.

I think the key for my hubby's success is to lean into the fact that he's not super strict with himself -- He likes to go with the flow and do what feels right in the moment.  Maybe this will work for him?

As for me, I prefer schedules and routines -- it's an anxiety thing.

Anxiety

I've written about my anxiety in the past, but today I stumbled across an article that says children/people who bite at their lip skin or bite at the skin around their nails (both of which hubby and I do) are really showing symptoms of an anxiety disorder.

No duh!  Nail biting & nibbling on my fingers has been a coping mechanism for me for years -- I can't remember not doing it.

As of right now, my nails look the best they've looked in a while.  I have them done as much as I can, so I keep my teeth away from them otherwise they'll get destroyed and I'll have wasted money.

Strength training

Hubby and I have this agreement -- He'll strength train with me if we can watch his shows while we do it.  It was an easy agreement, since I usually zone out while working out anyway.  It doesn't matter what's on the tv or radio or whatever as long as there's something in the background.

Anyone else hate hearing their own panicked gasps for air while working out?  No one... just me?

-_-

Lazy days and transitioning to summer time!

My husband loves his TV shows and when their season is over he experiences a sort of minor sadness -- he calls it his "show-hole".  A sort of emptiness that he feels when there's no good shows to watch.

I experience something similar every summer -- it's like a show-hole but with teaching/work.  Fall - Winter - Spring I have the same routine, since I teach at 8:00AM on the dot.

Summers don't mean I don't work -- in fact I teach year round via online classes, it's just that I get to work from home on my own schedule.

This flexibility and freedom is what's jarring -- in a good way.  I can wake up when I want, go where I want, and as long as my work is done by the end of the day I'm fine.

The challenge here is that without the strict routine I'm used to, I just kinda hang out all day.  I get everything that must is important done, but then I watch junk tv/movies, or play video games, or play with my dog, or just have fun!

I feel so guilty about this laziness because I know not everyone gets this chance... but at the same time it's the most amazing thing ever.  Maybe I should "treat myself" to relaxing while I can and take advantage of the summer to do things I can't do in the fall-winter-spring.

What are some things from your Thursday/week?

Do you have any triumphs you'd like to share?

Do you have any productivity tips for me to use this summer?

Let me know in the comments below!

Weigh in Wednesday #4

So thanks to some of the great bloggers I follow, I found this new app to record my weigh each day -- Happy Scale.

It takes your daily weight fluctuations and gives you a moving average weight.  Here are my results from this week:

Here is my overall weight loss progress...  The app breaks your weight loss goals into milestones and lets you know when you hit each one.  It'll also tell you how long before it predicts you hit your next milestone if you keep going the way you're going.

This prediction section is what has me the most focused -- "What do you mean it'll take me 6 months to lose just a few pounds??!!!" is what I keep screaming in my head.  Then I realize that each time I enter my weight, this predicted time shrinks a bit (at first it was well over a year!!) -- Second, with this app -- each day matters!  If I have a "bad day" and eat like crap, it'll affect the predictions.  If I have a great day, it'll affect the predictions.  This has changed my mindset a bit (since with WW you weigh in ONE day) -- but I think it's for the better.

I'll have to remember that every minute of every day matters and it'll either help me reach my goals or not!

How often do you weigh in?

Do you get this idea of moving average?

 Do you think every day counts or that a cheat day here or there is okay?

Tuesday Treat Day!

For this week's treat, hubby and I cleaned, organized, and completely rearranged our home office!

It's still in need of some carpet cleaning and some dusting -- but by throwing out old papers, super old technology, and broken down clutter we cleared 4 garbage bags of stuff we don't need!  The full dumpster means more room for activities!

In the process of all the sorting and cleaning, I completely destroyed my nails.  That meant another treat!  Manicure :D

I picked a blood red color and shorter nails.  LOVE THEM!

How are you treating yourself today?

Do you ever feel the need to spring clean and get rid of clutter?

What's your favorite nail color?

Marathon Monday #4

This is week 4 of my marathon training and it's the first week back without worrying about re-injuring my side.

Here's the plan for this week:

Tuesday - 30 min walk/run

Thursday - 30 min walk/run

Friday - 30 min walk/run

Sunday - 30 min walk/run

There will also be three strength sessions and a yoga session mixed in.  Not to mention some housework *Cleaning & organizing*.

What are your plans for runs this week?

How is your training going?

Do you do any crazy spring cleaning?

Just for Fun Friday

This week, Hubby and I are cooking new recipes for our Just for Fun activity.

We're preparing Steak Au Poivre with Mashed potatoes, onion rings, and an iceberg wedge salad for supper.  Such extravagance means lots of prep work, so I'm glad that the Hubster is on board for helping.

Planning these recipes and excitedly chatting with the Hubster, made me shift into Domestic Goddess Mode!!

Made some homemade applesauce

 

And some Chocolate Chip Cookies

Then passed out!

What did you do just for fun this week?

Do you and your spouse ever cook together?

What's your favorite recipe??

Thursday Things

Here are some things I'm thinking about this Thursday (and this week)...

Thirsty Thursday

I'm focusing on hydrating today!  Starting with coffee and water, then moving on to ensure I drink a full 96 ounces of water today...

Diet Pop has been creeping into my life again.  I know it's terrible for you, but it's SO GOOD and that's bad...

Other people's marriages

Our dear friends have been struggling in their marriage for as long as we've known them.  While my own marriage is by no means perfect, I can see (from few glimpses I have had and from the outside looking in) errors that I've made myself.  I feel compelled to help -- but it's coming across as meddling and inserting myself where I don't belong.

This morning, I woke up from dream arguments I'd like to have with her -- to get her to see his point of view.  That's when I decided, it's not my marriage so it's not my fight.  She's entitled to feel the way she's feeling and so is he.  Who am I to butt in??

My folk's marriage was far from perfect.  They literally didn't speak the same language from the beginning, so miscommunications happened and they happened frequently.  Now, after 30+ years, communication -- and assurance of understanding -- is a huge priority with the two of them.  They make each other a priority, which is really sweet to witness.  

My own marriage is far from perfect, but hubby and I have adopted some of the same priorities as other successful marriages -- or just things we liked.  This includes putting each other first, not going to bed angry, and making sure we are actually understood.

To be a good friend means to listen and be available -- I've been selfishly/arrogantly trying to "fix" their mess, which is not my job and not my prob.

New plan -- pray and listen.

Other people's kids

Hubby and I only have our fur baby --  no human children, yet...   But we do have strong opinions about how we would raise our own children, because of my anxiety about it.  We've had long and detailed discussions because it's one of the steps I've needed to feel better about it. (I've gone from "never ever" to "maybe").

Lately, our dear friends have been more present in our lives (due to my above mentioned arrogance, and butting it...).  This means we've spent more time with their kids -- who are being raised differently that hubby and I were raised.

To be completely fair, all kids are raised differently because we are all unique.  Even in the same house with the same parents, individuals will be individuals.

My mother was strict as F*** with me as a kid, more so than with my siblings.  Our household maintained some more traditional aspects of Korean life including respecting elders, being seen and not heard, and being very afraid of your parents.  While this is not an ideal parenting technique, it meant that we were far from "brats" -- at least in public space.  

I know this because my mom was constantly complimented in public (grocery stores, salons, doctor's offices, schools, etc...) about how well behaved we all were.  It was fear -- to this day I don't want to make my mom angry EVER!   Our soldier like behavior was a point of pride to my mom, so OH BOY did we get it on the very few occasions where we acted up and "embarassed" her.  [If you've never seen the Joy Luck Club, it provides some insight into this.]

The exposure to other people's has really been helpful in allowing me to know what I absolutely don't want in my own family -- and what I absolutely do want.

Resting/Healing and Impatience

I haven't been running due to my side healing -- wearing my favorite running sports bra would mean pressure/friction right in the middle of the injury, so I'm supposed to wait until it is completely healed (or two weeks, whichever comes first).  This Saturday marks 2 weeks and I've been so impatient!

In the meantime, I'm incorporating walking, weight lifting, and yoga (things that don't cause me to sweat or wear running sports bras...) to keep me from going stir crazy!

What are some things you're thinking about this Thursday?

Do you react to other people's marriages?

 What about other people's kids?

Are you impatient like me??

Weigh In Wednesday #3

Today, my weight is... The same as last week :(

 

How the week went

To further push myself out of my comfort zone -- and to hold myself fully accountable -- I'm going to do a points breakdown by day... *If you like this let me know in the comments below**

Monday - 37/30

Tuesday - 47/30

Wednesday - 35/30

Thursday - 31/30

Friday - 34/30

Saturday - 38/30

Sunday - 42/30

Seeing it all typed out, I see an improvement between this week and last week.

There was less eating out this week and that automatically makes staying on track easier for me.

How did your week go?

Are there any recipes I should try?

Any tips/encouraging words for me to keep me moving forward?

Tuesday - Treat Day!

Treats for this week:

• Strawberry picking & then pie making with friends and their kids
• Lunch with another set of friends
• Shopping at Ulta for discounts :D
• Coffee and or lunch out of town
• Workouts with Hubby (that'll help my minor side injury heal without irritation)

How are you treating yourself this week?

What's your favorite thing to do with fresh strawberries?

Do you have a favorite coffee shop or lunch spot?

Marathon Monday --Update

Marathon training on hold while I heal from a minor side injury -- two weeks off :(

My injury is a minor scrape on my side -- right on my ribs -- that I've been given explicit instructions on how to care for to prevent infection.  I was told specifically to (1) not wear a sports bra due to the location of the injury, (2) avoid sweating, as this would affect the healing, and (3) to limit stretching the area which could break open scabbing and cause further bleeding.

Next run will be this Wednesday!

How did your week of training go?

Have you ever had to limit exercise?

Just for Fun Friday

Today I'm having a movie marathon!  Hubby is away all day, so I have Netflix all to myself... this means I get to watch all the movies I've added to my list, but that hubby wouldn't particularly like.

Here's what I watched:

Death comes to Pemberley

I love Pride & Prejudice, so of course I had to watch this.  This little gem, which is a BBC three episode mini series, shows what happens (or one idea of what happens) after Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy have their "happily ever after" moment.

Verdict:  If you like Pride & Prejudice, it's Worth the watch!

Sugar Coated

This documentary showcases a Canadian approach to the battle of the bulge.  Included are the works of Gary Taubes, Robert Lustig, Yoni Freedhoff, and Sami Inkinen.

It shows a peek behind the veil of the sugar companies and their tactics which draw an astonishing parallel to those used by the tobacco companies years ago...

Verdict: A Must SEE!

The True Cost

This humbling documentary follows those affected by "Fast Fashion" and shows that those inexpensive "throw away clothes" do have a higher cost -- in the form of sweatshop labor, environmental depletion, and pollution.

Verdict:  It'll make you think about your own consumerism and who it affects!!! 

Hush

This low budget thriller was a recommendation from a friend -- it's wonderfully done and keeps you at the edge of your seat!

The story centers around a lone female protagonist put in at an interesting disadvantage...

Verdict:  The ending was the absolute best!!!

What are you doing just for fun today?

 Which movies should I watch next?

Have you seen any documentaries that really make you think??

Let me know in the comments below!!

Thursday Things

Here's a few thoughts and things for your Thursday:

Thirsty Thursday -- DRINK UP!

Going around social media right now are all these tags to Stop Drop and Chug... I think if you're reading this, you should drink up!

No Scale Victories

To battle some of my more negative self-talk, I've been trying to think of No Scale Victories throughout the week.  These act like a mental pat on the back every so often.  Today's NSV came at breakfast.

I was eating this week's breakfast of choice

 -- a slice of spinach & cheese egg white frittata, low cal toast, and homemade unsweetened applesauce --

and halfway through I felt full.  Normally, I'd clean the plate and ignore how I felt.  Today, I put my fork down and pushed the plate away!  #Winning #NSV

Fit-spiration

Is anyone else obsessed with Instagram & Snapchat??  Just me?  Ok... -_-

I love scrolling through and getting ideas for meals, workouts, or just for motivation!

Accountability

This is something I'm really honing in on this month.  Holding myself accountable is important to my process because I tend to try to cheat or hide and that's what helped me gain all this weight!  Honesty and integrity are important to me and to my process.

Fidelity

Fidelity to the plan -- This week I'm really trying to not go over my weekly points.  It's been hard, because my ability to do activity is limited, but I've been creative with high volume/low points foods (hello fruits and veggies).

What are some of your things/thoughts this Thursday?  Share any comments below! I'd love to know what you think!

Weigh in Wednesday #2

Today, my weight is still 192.2...  My official WW weigh in day was Monday and I weighed in at 193.2, so I'm glad to be back to the same weight as last week!!

I'm taking this as a victory after the week I had!

This past week was my birthday week -- which meant several dinners out, cake, ice cream, and all the treats my heart desired!  I'm all about balance and treating myself, so I'm really trying not to beat myself up about not losing...

How the week went

To further push myself out of my comfort zone -- and to hold myself fully accountable -- I'm going to do a points breakdown by day... *If you like this let me know in the comments below**

Monday - 38/30

Tuesday - 40/30

Wednesday - 53/30

Thursday - 56/30

Friday - 49/30

Saturday - 41/30

Sunday - 68/30

Seeing it all typed out, I'm stunned at my over-eat!  I can say without a doubt that I WASN'T eating mindfully, I wasn't eating enough "power foods", and that I went out to eat without a plan.

I know enough about myself to know that if I go out to eat without a plan, I'll way overspend my points.  This is exactly what happened Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday!!  Also, that's far too much eating out (this is what happens with family, friends, and hubby each want to take you out for separate celebratory meals).

How did your week go?

Any tips/encouraging words for me to keep me moving forward?

Tuesday Treats!

Last night was a rough night.

For whatever reason, I woke up around 3 AM completely starving!  I made a quick PB sammie (on a sandwich thin), tracked the points, and laid back down.  That's when it got super rough...

Apparently, my impromptu snack attack was a cue for the doggy to annoy me for the rest of the night.  I'm talking whining, bumping, nuzzling, patting... all over me!

Once he finally settled down and I was able to get to sleep, it was practically morning.

To treat myself today, I'm going to relax!!!  Trying to sneak in a nap later this afternoon might be a big ask, but I'm definitely going to stay in PJ's all day -- no shower -- no makeup -- it's a dry shampoo kind of day.  I'm going to get my fill of junk tv but good foods :D

I'll also have a new phone sometime today!!  I've been eagerly awaiting the UPS truck all day, but so far - nada.

It was time for our contract renewal/upgrade with our mobile phone company, but hubby and I are both super happy with our phones.  We have no complaints and *knock on wood* there's no damage even after more than 2 years.  We currently have iphones with 16GB of memory but decided to upgrade to 64GB of memory -- which ended up being an affordable decision.

The best part is, since we're only upgrading memory, all the cases and accessories will work for the new phones!  No need to upgrade all accessories just to upgrade our devices! :D

How are you treating yourself today?

Do you treat yourself with naps and relaxing?

When was the last time you upgraded your device?

Let me know with a comment below!! ^_^

Marathon Monday Wk2

This Marathon Monday marks my second official week of training for this cycle.

This week also was my Birthday Week! If you're like me, then that means a steady stream of events, good food, and fun!  It was exhausting but excellent!!

 

Last Week's plan

The plan for last week was 4 20 min walk/runs... but sadly I only completed 2 of the 4 due to birthday activities/festivities/fun.

I'm not really sad about it though, since it was worth it and life is all about balance.

Weight training

Here are the strength workouts I did complete on two separate days:

Back & Biceps

• Lat Pull downs
• Seated Rows
• Bicep Curls
• Hammer Curls

Chest & Triceps

• Bench Press/Dumbbell chest presses
• Incline Bench Press/pushups/dumbbell chest presses on incline
• Flies
• Pull downs (Cable & metal bar)
• Dips

This week's training

For running, the plan is to complete 4 - 25 minute walk/runs as well as 3 strength training sessions.  I have a wound that is healing (from a birthday adventure) so wearing bras has been a problem - especially sports bras - so this may fluctuate somewhat...

How's your training going?

How do you incorporate strength into your running?

Should I add anything into my plan?

*Leave a comment/reply and let me know ^_^

Thursday Things

Here are some things for this Thursday...

1.  I like BBQ's!  Hubby made burgers on a charcoal grill for the first time yesterday!  I completely forgot how much I love burgers cooked on a grill.  Yum!
2. Water is the best.  After waking up with part of the Sahara in my mouth, I'm reminded of this very fact.
3. The end of the semester grade freak out is real!  So many students coming to me with last ditch attempts at passing.  Let the lesson be learned... waiting until the end of the semester is a mistake!
4. I love Chocolate Cake & Pizza!  I definitely overdid it  yesterday (in honor of my special day) --and now I'm bloated!! -- so I'm counting it as a wash and starting fresh today!

Also -- Board games are the best!  We had fun playing some classics like Clue yesterday.

What do you have going on this Thursday?

Charcoal or gas grill??

What's your favorite board game?

Let me know by leaving a comment/reply :D

Weigh In Wednesday #1

To hold me accountable, I thought I should start "weigh in Wednesdays" like so many of my favorite bloggers.

Starting Weight:

When I first started my weight loss adventure in 2011, I was the heaviest I've been in my whole life.  It took a while for me to muster up the courage to jump on the scale and for good reason...

My weight in 2011 -- 225lbs.  On my 5 foot 5 inch frame, 225lbs looked HUGE!  My BMI at the time was 37.4 and I was binge eating at every meal.

Today, my weight is 192.2 with a BMI of 32.  I still have a ways to go before I'm no longer "obese" or "overweight" -- but my BMI is 5.4 points lower than when I started.  I'm also 32.8 pounds lighter than when I first weighed in.

Current Challenges:

My biggest challenge currently is negative self talk -- or lack of self-belief.  When I first started tackling weight loss, I just knew I could do it.  NO QUESTION ABOUT IT!  Only after some struggles in other facets of my life, did this turn off.

Binge eating or mindless eating or eating for comfort is another big challenge.  I discussed this a bit in my post about anxiety.

The last challenge I'm currently facing is hubby bubby -- I just feel that if he's on my team and we're tackling this together, we'll be stronger!   But this could just be me looking for excuses... which is the last challenge.

Non-Scale Goals:

• Positive self talk!  "I can do this!", "I can do anything I put my mind to", " I've got this!", etc...
• Eat mindfully!  So many times this past week, I've noticed that while eating, I'll feel really full pretty quickly, but then force myself to finish my food.  I hate wasting food!  This week, I'm going to actually stop at that first sign of hunger and safe the rest for later.  When I get hungry again, I'll go back to it.

Weight Loss Goals:

I'm going to get below 190 this month.  May is MY MONTH! :D

How did your most recent weigh in go?

What are your challenges?

What are your goals?

Leave me a comment/reply and let me know!  Also -- Do you ever struggle with negative self talk?   How do you cope with it?

Tuesday Treat Day

This week's treat is short and sweet -- ICE CREAM!!!

 Found this beauty which is 3 pp per serving!
What's your treat this week?

Do you have a favorite brand or flavor of ice cream?