Happy Halloween

Good Morning!  It’s Halloween!

Does everyone have big plans tonight?  Stinks that it’s a work/school night, but hope everyone has a good time anyway.

Yesterday….

I got my day going with some treadmill time. 

Our treadmill is so old.  Sara’s pretty much the only one who uses it.

I think we bought it in 2005.  It sounds like a train is going through the downstairs and it doesn’t go the speed you tell it to, it always goes a little faster.  If I set it to 5.0 mph, I will be running at 6.0 mph, but the calories and distance still count from the 5.0 mph.

But it works. (and that is what Justin tells me every time I whine about wanting a new treadmill. *pout*)

I felt like doing some running and it since I’m afraid of running in the dark all by myself, I dusted off the old treadmill.  I ran two miles, then walked at 3.5 mph at 10% incline (that’s as high as that bad boy will go), then ran another mile.

I made a big batch

of salsa fresca, or pico de gallo, whatever you want to call it.

It is so easy and so good on EVERYTHING!

I used:

• 2 tomatoes
• 1/2 of a large onion
• cilantro
• lime juice
• jalapeno juice (I forgot to buy a fresh jalapeno so I used some juice from a jar)

Later in the day,

I lifted some weight: Hammies and glutes

Meals

Meal #1: Gluten free oatmeal with protein powder

Meal #2 Brown rice cake and peanut butter

Meal #3: Stir fry veggies, black beans, salsa fresca, grilled chicken

Meal #4: Ground turkey with salsa, spinach, salsa fresca, black olives

Meal #5: Salmon with salad

Oh my gosh, did I eat some good food yesterday, or what?! 

Look at our cat.

He has the life, I tell you.  He has his own bedroom with a Queen size bed.  We have a baby gate at the door so the dogs can’t bother him.

That little fart, yet he still bites me and claws at my head and ruins our furniture.  Ungrateful.

Back on Plan

Yesterday was my first day back on a plan and it felt so good.  Being back on plan made me realize how far OFF PLAN I have been!  It felt good to write all my meals down again and take pictures of them.  It felt good to track my cardio and weights in my notebook.  I haven’t done that for quite a while now. 

I am a visual person so anytime I get to make a list or a schedule it’s going to involve different colors of pens and highlighters and markers, I love it.  I know I could do it all on the computer, but I love actually writing everything down.

Workouts

I started the day with some cardio.  That darn elliptical takes FOREVER to burn calories.  I need to wear my fit bit because I was busting my fanny on that darn thing, varying the resistance, incline and speed for an hour and only burned 451.7 calories.  Seriously?

LIAR!

Lifted weights: Shoulders

Meals

Meal #1: Gluten free oats with protein powder

Meal #2: Rice cake and peanut butter

Meal #3: Ground turkey and black beans with hot sauce and a side of brussel sprouts

Meal #4: Ground Turkey with brussel sprouts

Meal #5: Ground turkey seasoned with Mrs. Dash with roasted green beans

It was a ground turkey kind of day!

I helped my friend at her daughter’s private school again in the lunch room and then Justin and I ran some errands in the afternoon, including a trip to the grocery store.

We wrapped up the day watching some TV and I was fighting to keep my eyes open at 8:30pm!

Acorn Squash!

I didn’t get myself together early enough to make it down to the KC Diva workout so I read, crocheted and took a rest day instead.

I made acorn squash for the first time.

I got the idea from this recipe.  I cut the acorn squash in half, removed the seeds, then cut it into thick slices.  I spread the slices out in a pyrex dish, drizzled with olive oil, kosher salt and parmesan cheese.  It roasted in a 425 degree oven for 30 minutes.

I peeled the skin away before I ate. It was so yummy!

I also got my new plan from Diana yesterday.  So I spent most of the evening printing everything out and organizing it in a binder.

Meals

Meal #1: Oatmeal with protein powder

 

Meal #2: Egg whites with gluten free toast

Meal #3: Ground turkey, brussel sprouts, acorn squash

Meal #4: Taco Salad

I wrapped up the day by getting myself organized to get on my plan this morning!

Already moving in the right direction, so see ya’ll tomorrow!

Pants and a Party

Yesterday started with squeezing myself into my compression tights and heading to the track. 

I had read all the reviews so I knew what to expect when it came to getting them on.  You have to put these on like panty hose. Plus, you have to make sure they are aligned properly.

I really like them.  They felt great while I worked out and my knees felt amazing.  They hug around your knees. I could definitely tell.

It was 29 degrees when I got to the track.  I met up with three other girls and we did some work.

In our candy corn hats, of course.   

I felt great during the workout.  It was cold but we were moving and working so it didn’t feel that bad.  Back at home was a different story.

It took me two hours to get warmed up!

I should have worn more layers.  I had three layers on the top, but only my compression pants on the bottom.  I don’t know what I was thinking.

I ate a hot bowl of oatmeal with protein powder, some hot coffee, piled on the clothes and blankets.  Nothing was working.  I finally filled the tub with hot water and soaked in it, then hopped in bed and snuggled under the covers.  That finally worked! Geesh.

My older sister, Autumn, stopped by in the afternoon and chatted for a couple of hours and then last night I headed over to my younger sister, Vann’s house for a Halloween party.

That’s a picture of me with some of my brothers and sisters. From Left to Right: Donkey Kong, Flo from Progressive Insurance, 50’s Lady (I know, boring.), Macy’s Parade Staff - Balloon Handlers (see their giant balloons?!), Bun in the Oven and her Baker!

It was fun.  She had her house decorated beautifully and a huge spread of food.  I always have fun with my brothers and sisters.  We laugh so hard and get so loud. I love those people.

Meals

Meal #1: Gluten free oatmeal with protein powder

Meal #2: Two slices gluten free toast with natural peanut butter

Meal #3: Shrimp stir fry

Meal #4: Salmon with salad. I can’t believe I forgot to take a picture.  This was so good and looked so pretty on the plate.

Meal #5: Meatballs and veggies at Vann’s house.

I didn’t eat one bite of sugar at the party.

 

And they even had a fire pit with s’mores.  I definitely deserve a trophy!

Hope everyone had a great Saturday!

Preppin’ for 2013

Yesterday started with putting on my new outfit from PVBody and doing some cardio on the elliptical.

I was pretty nervous and anxious and EXCITED and anxious all morning because I had a Noon appointment with Diana.

Just walking back in that gym and feeling the energy of HitchFit set my nerves at ease.

Diana and I have worked together on and off since 2009 so she is such a source of comfort and positivity.  I trust her. We sat and talked for a bit about my goals and how she was going to help me reach them.

Time to swallow that big, fat pride pill

and strip down for measurements and pictures.

I wanted to cry a little bit.

I felt like I had failed.  And not just failed myself, but failed Diana and Justin….and all of YOU!

Those feelings were quickly replaced with a FIRE!  This is MY body.  I am not doing this for anyone else.  I made mistakes coming out of prep last time.  I will NOT make those same mistakes again.

Where I am now.

I am starting out 10 lbs heavier than I started my prep in 2011 and about the same body fat percentage, but I am starting four months earlier.

I feel pumped and READY!

The mental switch has been flipped to ON!

So, here I go!

Ready to take this journey with me again?

Oh, wait, I’m done yet, the day gets better.

So, I come home PUUUUUMPED.  Endorphins were pumping like I had just ran 5 miles!  I was ready to start prep immediately!  Get the camera. Let’s take some pictures so I can start my progress picture page for 2013.

Let’s do this.

And then I remembered, we were going out last night with Justin’s Dad and Stepmom before they head to Arizona for the Winter.

We went to our favorite wine place and did a tasting.

And then headed to an Italian restaurant that the four of us love.  I had chicken scallopini  with eggplant parmesan on the side instead of pasta.

Oh well. I’ll start prep tomorrow (which is TODAY)!

ARE YOU WITH ME?!

Mother Nature is Having Mood Swings

Yesterday started with a 5:45am track date with my friend, Elizabeth.

You know what makes being at the track in the dark more fun?

We had some crazy weather yesterday. It was pretty fantastic, actually. 

I started the day in a tank top and running capris because it was 71 degrees.  By Noon, I was in this:

The temperature dropped to around 40 degrees and it was lightly raining most of the day.  (I put on a gold necklace and a gold watch to hopefully distract people from my no makeup face and frizzy hair.)

I was not complaining as I got to wear my new Neon shoes and my BOGS all in one day!

My first PVBody package

arrived yesterday!

It arrived in a PINK envelope.

Each item was wrapped in tissue paper (one pink and one white)

It was all so girly! I loved it!

Both pieces were the brand NUX.  I had never heard of it, so I looked up their website and was very impressed.  Both pieces are light compression and would have retailed for $110!  When I first saw the clothes, I though they looked too small.  I set up my size as a Medium.  The tank just glided right on and stretched in all the right places, while lightly hugging me. The leggings are full length and fit like a dream.  I put them on and walked around.  There was no sagging in the crotch and I didn’t have to keep pulling them up.  I can not say enough nice things about those leggings.

Can’t wait to get my package NEXT MONTH!

Libby asked on my Facebook Page if you can return an item and the answer is yes.  You have 14 days to return anything.

Meals

Meal #1:  Gluten free oats and protein powder

Meal #2: Egg whites and gluten free toast

Meal #3: Corner Café: Salad and a piece of pecan pie!

Meal #4: Potato chips

Meal #5: Tilapia and roasted broccoli

Time to put on my new outfit and get some cardio done.

I meet with Diana today!

Priorities

I didn’t end up getting my cardio done yesterday morning.  I played around with my blog post for too long and then I wanted to get everyone up and moving so I had enough time to do this:

Priorities.

Those hands belong to the girl that lives with us, let’s just call her M.  I have been leaving her name out for privacy reasons, but I don’t like calling her “the girl that lives with us”.

There really should be an award for the best Group Home House-Mom because after this week, and how awesome her nails have looked, I am sure to place in the Top 5!

Sexy Halloween

I headed to the Halloween store to buy everyone their Halloween costumes.  I am so disappointed in costumes for women.  I can’t exactly send M to the day hab center in a sexy Dorothy outfit or a sexy Little Red Riding Hood.  It took me FOREVER to find a costume for her that wasn’t some sort of “sexy” version of a costume.

The best part of ordering from Zappos?

You get the package the NEXT DAY!

LOVE!

Meals

Meal #1: Oats with protein powder

Meal #2: Chili with a Ritz Crackers

Meal #3: Tilpia, seasoned with fiesta lime Mrs. Dash, with roasted broccoli

Meal #4: One slice of gluten free toast with peanut butter

Meal #5: Salad

I got my workout in this morning BEFORE I started this post! yay!  I’ll tell you about that tomorrow!