Happy New Year!!!

YES!!!

Working it Out!

Thanksgiving week is my favorite week of the year because Thanksgiving is my FAVORITE holiday!  I love Thanksgiving, the food, the smell, the food, the binge, the treats, the seconds, the food, etc.  What I don’t like is – absolutely nothing!  I love going to the store and getting my items.  I love the crowded parking lots, the way families come together to celebrate and gather over the feast.  With all the food I will be eating I must stay on track to lose my half a stone to a stone weight!  I want to be in perfect health for my Princess Half Marathon and I am going to be! I am going to PR!  I am going to excel and I am going to ring in 2015 happy and healthy and 2015 will return it back to me with everything I asked for!

So this week we will continue to work it out!

Physical goals for the week – exercise Monday through Thursday!

Personal goals for the week – not to feel guilty about eating on Thursday (and Thursday night and Friday morning and Friday evening and maybe Saturday)!

 

 

I Love Mondays!!!

Monday is my favorite day of the week!  A chance to start new, a fresh beginning, and a new week of great possibilities.

I love Monday so much people know if they want something from me and they ask me on a Monday, there is 99.9% chance I might do it (of course, within legal ramifications).

This Monday I am back on track with the goal of  completing my training for the Disney Princess Half.  I am eating well (today).  I ran/walked 5 miles (today).  And I am possibly going to take a spin class because I am in a great mood.

In short, don’t phuck up my Mondays.  It will not be good for the rest of the days of the week as I feel Monday sets the tone on how the week will go.  Screw up my Fridays and that’s okay because we are only two days away from Monday.

Set a goal, complete the goal!

When I set a goal I aim and try to reach it but sometimes I get hit with curve balls that make me lose complete sight of my vision.

I set a goal to PR on my next half marathon race which is the Disney Princess Half on February 2015. I want to beat my previous time of 2 hours and 3 minutes and come in at a time of 1 hour, 59 minutes and 59 seconds. That time is my true goal (but if I come in at 2:02:59, I am fine with that!). But of course I have been procrastinating and just being ugh about getting into shape.

So I am putting it out there – starting Monday, November 10 we are going to be on a serious mission to drop 3/4 of stone (everything sounds better in a British accent)!

I will have three cheat days between now and the end of the year – the day of Thanksgiving, the day after Thanksgiving, and the day after the day after Thanksgiving. Christmas dinner – is just Thanksgiving the remix so I don’t need that as a cheat day. And I don’t drink (but I do get seriously drunk on Sparkling Apple Cider) so New Year’s Eve not a big drinking holiday for me.

Then I seriously start training on December 1 for this half. I just need to set a goal and complete a goal so I can feel like I achieved something in 2014.

Starting your own business is a total mind phuck.

More on that in the next post.

It’s Been a Long Time

Hello All!

I will be back to using this outlet as a form of my so-called artistic expression.

LOL! HEE HEE HEE

1 Month Down, 2 To Go!

So as of yesterday, I am 4 weeks into my goal and two months away from summer.

 

Enter the Bikini Series! The Bikini Series is an annual challenge put on by the ladies who run Tone It Up.  It is being promoted for you to have the chance to get into the best shape of your life. HA! I am already ahead of the curve as I started my challenge 4 weeks ago. This seems like a great motivating tool and I am sure I can benefit from tips and tricks, new recipes, workouts, and encouragement from others to keep going. Click here to see what I am talking about!

A quick recap of what’s going on in my three P’s (personal, physical, professional) since the last post:

Personal –

I am looking for a place of worship that’s non-judgmental and non-denominational. I put in my GPS, searched for it on Google map, and even mapquested (is mapquested even a word?) and I coming up empty. No worries I will find one. I have faith. I have all of the faiths.

Physical –

Duh! You know this one. Here is another tidbit – I am in my third week on Insanity. YAY! And I am getting that itch to run a half or a full marathon. I think there is still time to sign up for the Goofy Challenge 2015 – 39.3 miles in one weekend.  I have done it in the past and would like to beat my previous record.  No matter what I am definitely signing up for the Disney Princess 1/2 Marathon Weekend 2015.  Registration opens in July and I am ready!

   

 

Professional –

Great things are happening at The Naked Bar! My little soap company is strongly and steadily on its way to becoming a Fortune 500 company. I will have more details on this very, very soon! In the meantime click here to read our blog but definitely click here to order our wonderful natural, handmade, paraben-free, sulfate-free, chemical-free bath and body products. You will love it! Was that a shameless plug? YEAH!

Eucalyptus Mint Salt Bar – made with sea salt, coconut oil, Shea & cocoa butters, and coconut milk. You know you want it!

That’s all for know! I feel great and I am getting there.

Leaning Out

3 weeks into my health challenge and I am feeling great! I have been run/walking 6 miles 3-4 times a week. Last week I recently started the Insanity program again. Again? Yes, again! I have done Insanity in the past and did not complete it the first time. I was only 8 workouts away from finishing it. The reason I stopped was because I was cheating myself into believing I can do Insanity and eat whatever I want. Although I did not gain weight, I maintained and this was not my goal when I did Insanity the first time around. My goal was to lean out, build more muscle tone, and be fitter.  This time around I am incorporating better eating habits and making the time and commitment to focus on what I want the outcome of my challenge to be.  There are a couple of things I am following to help me out. This advice was given to me by a great friend who happens to be a fitness fanatic, a yoga enthusiast, an avid runner, and an OB/GYN.

1. Finish my last meal by 7:30 p.m. (or 2-3 hours before going to sleep). If hungry, drink unsweetened hot green tea (great for the antioxidants) or water.
2. Go at least 12 hours from your last meal to your first meal in the morning even if exercising.
3. Limit my carb intake to low glycemic carbs (sweet potatoes) and eat those right after cardio (your body burns fuel for the first two hours) or early in the day.
4. Replace one meal (breakfast or lunch) with a protein shake. She recommends Dymatize Elite – Chocolate mint  and mix it with almond milk.  (I am not fan of protein shakes and I hate chocolate mint but I will be purchasing it this week (a different flavor)  and give you my opinion)
5. Dinner should consist ONLY of protein and veggies. No carbs, especially starch. She advised me to take in zero carbs after 4 p.m.
6. Do weekly weight-bearing activity. The Nike app is great for this!
7. Hydrate to flush your fat loss and support your metabolism.

Yoga. Ugh, I am almost there. I just need to take the first step or in this case the first stretch. I have tried yoga in the past but have never given it a full effort. I read the benefits of what it does and this is why it intrigues me to give it a full-on chance but I find yoga to be more exhausting than running. Holding a position for so many seconds is not for the faint of heart. If anyone tells you yoga is easy there is 99% chance they are not doing it right.

Gym (YMCA). Have not visited this fairy tale place that automatically withdraws my money on the 15th of every month. They have kept up their promise in debiting my account so I should keep my promise to make it worth their while.

Remember I not a physician so consult yours before you begin any physical challenges.

If you are taking a health challenge to better yourself, I hope this helps. They say fitness consists of 80% diet, 10% exercise, and 10% genetics. I have one of out the three but I am getting there.

P.S. Are you a fan of protein bars? I am not but I have finally found a company that makes great protein bars. Naturally 4 You Protein Bars and Spreads are THE BEST!!!!! Check out their Facebook page here to see all the great stuff they provide with no preservatives or artificial flavorings! I DIE every time I have one.

Middle of the Month Update

How’s my challenge going? IT IS GOING! Somewhere. I think.

Seriously, I have been doing well on it! I slipped on Monday by having a piece of meatloaf but other than that I have been committed to my no-meat stance for 90 days (that piece of meatloaf just added another day to the challenge). I have been running although no yoga yet. I have been working out consistently although not at the Y. But I am getting there. I am scheduled to take a spin class with my friend tonight. Scheduled being the operative word.

The point of my challenge is and always has been for me to take a better initiative towards my health. I don’t need to lose weight and I am not aiming for that. I am trying to tone up and lean out because I want to be strong with a bit more muscle definition.

Just wanted to take some time to give an update to all three of my followers. I know you have missed me. Work has taken a bulk of my time (click here), family has taken another chunk, and Bravo reality shows have taken a slice (don’t judge me)!

Anyhoo, I am getting there!!

Day 7

It has been a week and I am keeping my end of the bargain (although I am the only one who is in on this deal) of this 90 day challenge!

A review of the first week:

Meat – didn’t eat it.

Exercise – I did it!

Yoga – zip

YMCA – zip

Overall grade – C+/B-

This week I am focusing on taking 2 spin classes at the Y and I even roped a friend to join me.  Tomorrow I scheduled myself to do yoga at 9:30 a.m. Last, I planned out my meals for the week so I am one step ahead of the game.

I wanted to tell you I am doing a smoothie challenge for the month of April. Check it out here. I’ll let you know what I think at the end of the week.

Also, this morning I ran 2 miles at 10:15 a mile. Go ME!! I am getting there.

Have a great day!!

Nominated And It Feels So Good!

(when reading the title of this post please sing it to the tune of Reunited by Peaches & Herb)

 

YAY!! I was just nominated for a Liebster Award by the lovely Jen from The Haute Mommy Handbook! I love, love, love, love, love her blog! It is informative, interesting, quick, and trendsetting. Check her out!!

The Liebster Award recognizes bloggers who have less than 500 followers (hell – I have less than 100; maybe less than 50 but definitely more than 28).

Here are the questions Jen posted for me to answer:

1.If you could go back to any age for a week, which would it be and why?

I would go back to 21. Old enough to have responsibilities and young enough to have someone else take care of them for me.

2. What is the craziest thing you’ve ever done with your friends?

On the advice of counsel, I respectfully invoke my right to remain silent and will decline any questions surrounding the circumstances of the craziest thing I’ve ever done with my friends.

3. What was the last movie you watched?

Frozen

4. What is the most interesting food you’ve ever eaten?

Interesting as in good – I can’t remember. Interesting as in bad – the fruit sushi I had last week that tasted like complete ____  (you can fill in the blank; any synonym for $hit will do).

5. Do you prefer autumn or summer?

Autumn

6. What song is currently stuck in your head?

Happy by Pharell and Let It Go on the Frozen soundtrack. I don’t know if I should be happy to let it go or let it go and be happy.

7. What do you do after a stressful day?

On the advice of counsel, I respectfully invoke my right to remain silent and will decline any questions surrounding the circumstances of what I do after a stressful day.

Here are my nominees:

P.S KeePSeeking

Skin – Eczema 

(the blogs I follow seem to have over 500 followers – good for them!)

Should you choose to accept this award:

Thank the blogger that nominated you
Answer the questions you were given
Nominate up to 11 other bloggers with less than 500 followers
Tag your nominees and post on their blog

Here are my questions:

1.  What was your favorite television show when you were a kid?

2. The song you associate with your high school years.

3. What would you be doing instead of your current career/job?

4. Which came first: the chicken or the egg?

Congratulations to the nominees! Thanks for reading and have a great day!