Feel Good About Yourself

There are some things in life that just make you feel good about yourself. Yesterday I had a few of those.

1.) I REALLY didn't want to work out yesterday once 11:30 came around. I finally made myself at noon and I went downstairs to change. I had my spandex shorts with a sports bra and a work out shirt. This particular pair of shorts isn't the most flattering and the sports bra I had was an older one that was rather tight. I put the sports bra on and it wasn't that snug - wow - then I put the shorts on and looked in the mirror - not too bad - not sure if I was just having a "skinny day" or if it's a mental thing when you know you are losing weight you just look skinnier than you really are because you are tricking you mind? I don't know but it definitely made me feel good about myself.

2.) Because of the above I had a great work out. I didn't push myself too much but I hopped on the elliptical for 20 minutes and just moved. It wasn't a crazy burn but it was 150 calories gone. Next I grabbed some 2lb weights and a mat and did 10 minutes worth of ab, stability work with some light shoulder stuff. That was the hardest part of the work out let me tell you, but I am trying to tone certain areas (arms, that armpit area that everyone hates, legs, my ass and abs - it's all worth it!) When I finished I was glad that I had done something productive and felt great about it as well.

3.) This one might be a tad too much to share but there is something about seeing yourself in your birthday suit in a mirror and being happy about it. It just makes you feel good. Again I think it might be a voodoo that my mind plays once it knows that it's losing weight to encourage me to continue and not give up, but it's still a good feeling. No I am not where I ultimately want to be, but hell I am happy with me now and that is so important. As my fiance says if I make a comment about a roll here or there - "I don't know what you are talking about - stop it!" It's what I tell myself every day now and I love him for it. It actually works when I catch that glimpse in the mirror and can't help but to smile. I know I am on the right track.

I had 3 smiles yesterday related to the way I feel so it was a successful day I would say. Nothing special and I know I still have work to do but this week thus far has been a bit pf a spiral in terms of emotions so it was nice to be happy yesterday about me. Tomorrow I don't know if I will have time to write - I am taking a ME day! Yes I am going to Charlotte but instead of going to work all day and stressing about getting there afterwards I am going to sleep in a bit, run some errands, have a relaxing, leisurely drive to Charlotte - I'm even going to make a new album of songs on my iPod that I can sing all the way there - just enjoy myself. Then cooking for me is a huge stress reliever, I going to get to his place before he gets home and make a big meal. Put some music on, pop open a bottle of wine and make a yummy meal. To me that is just the best way to unwind, relax! It's going to be a great ME day and then it will end with seeing my fiance which will be the icing and cherry on top. :)

Definitely looking forward to tomorrow so until then enjoy your Thursday!

Stressed Out

Well it's Wednesday and lots has happened since I wrote my blog yesterday. Things crumbled after I wrote it and all plans went out the window.

1.) Work SUCKED yesterday. It's a very long story but I realized that I have been really stressed out lately with work as it has been a bit overwhelming and I have let it affect my productivity. It was brought to my attention in a way that actually made it worse for me yesterday so I didn't appreciate that. Then of course there were about a million little fires and changes that left me not even being able to breath until 1pm. At that time I am not going to go work out because that means I am not eating until 2pm and that wasn't happening. I was stressed to the max anyway and all I wanted to do was put my headphones on, eat my lunch and look at not work things on my computer. Basically zone out. Well instead I called on places to move into and found out once again many were either rented or didn't allow pets. Apparently getting pet insurance for the place you are renting in Florida is a very difficult and expensive process. Wonderful! I didn't zone out as much as I mentally needed, in fact I probably stressed myself out a bit more which leads me to my next point...

2.) I realized yesterday how stressed out I have been in my personal life too. Work has been crazy busy and stressful but then I come home afterwards and instead of relaxing and mellowing out, I am still stressed out.  There is wedding planning - which honestly isn't that stressful at all, it's just something that takes up time that's all. In fact I really have been enjoying planning my wedding, it's just time consuming like I said. Then there is the living situation. I have been stressed out for some time about this and where is my fiance and I going to live. It started with where, as in Charlotte or Jacksonville. I mean I didn't even know what city or state I as going to live in. Then we finally figured that out he even had a whole plan on what was going to happen and made me fell much better (I knew I was marrying him for a reason!). However now it is find a place for us to live, which if anyone has searched for a place knows it's not the easiest task. We don't want to live in an apartment, we want a townhome, house condo - something with a backyard for Wrigley and also makes it feel more like a home not an apartment you know. Then of course it's not like you look all over, you narrow it down to specific areas and hope what you are looking for in your price range you can find there. That has been stressing me out like you can't believe, this whole situation!

Yesterday didn't go as planned like I said. I was swamped and stressed wasn't able to take a moment to leave my desk until 1pm so a work out didn't happen. With the incredible amounts of rain we got yesterday, I just wanted to get home so I didn't stop at the YMCA to work out - oh well there is tomorrow I told myself. So it's just that today I have my bag and damn it I am making it down there and working out today at lunch. I also decided Friday I am taking a ME day - I can't wait for it. I am not doing anything work, wedding, or house hunting at all! :) Yay!

Well Happy Hump Day Everyone - hope the way down is better than the way up this week for you. I pray mine is.

Happy Surprises and Olympic Trials

Good Morning and Happy Tuesday. I woke up this morning to more rain! I swear I am so sick of the rain - it's basically rained non-stop since the last tropical storm Beryl that came through here like a month ago. Now Debby is just sitting on Florida and dumping rain. Thankfully we are not under water like many people are this morning, Thank God but wow I truly miss the sunshine. We got a little bit last week but it didn't last long. It makes getting up hard and staying motivated hard you know?! The weather really does play a part in the way you feel and your motivation levels I swear. I'm doing my best to stay positive and move forward.

This morning I woke up to a lovely surprise on my scale - it read 162.4 lbs. That's 1.2lbs down from yesterday which is nuts. I ate all my calories too and only worked out once instead of twice. Ya I kinda skipped the after work session I was thinking about doing. I had a great lunch workout and then I got out of work later than normal and it was raining and Olympic Trials for swimming started at 6:30pm that I was sooooo excited about so I decided to go home and watch my swimming! :) Anyway, back to my surprise this morning. I was slightly shocked but a little nervous about it. We'll see how the week goes and if I can sustain it.

Okay back to swimming - it's no secret by now that I was a competitive swimmer for the majority of my life so the fact that the US Swimming Olympic Trials are on TV right now is like being a little kid in a candy store for me! 8 years ago I went to the 2004 Olympic Trials in Long Beach, CA. I wasn't fast enough to be a contender for the Olympics or anything, but I was fast enough to qualify to swim at the meet. Even though I didn't have a great swim it was one of the best experiences of my life. Watching the trials right now is like reliving it and it just plain fun. Plus I know people swimming, both just because they made the meet and then some that are truly trying to make the team. It's a blast cheering for them and seeing it live. I can't wait for it again tonight. I even have my fiance recording it since I don't have a DVR so if I miss anything I can watch it this weekend. Plus when I drive up there on Friday, that is the women's final 200 butterfly and you know I am not going to miss that!!!

Today I am going to head to the gym at lunch and get some sweat going. I am actually looking forward to it so here's to a wonderful Tuesday! :)

Mondays are good for something

Oh Monday's how you always sneak up on us and are never liked! The only good thing about a Monday is you can start over on something and not feel like you wasted any of the week. Last week I had good intentions I just never executed on working out except once. I didn't do a very good job of planning is where I faulted. This week I intended to be much better. This morning I brought my gym bag and plan on doing something at lunch and then after work too. Both lighter as I am still getting back into it and don't want to kill myself and then become discouraged. I am not sure if I am going to swim, do a class or just do things on my own but I am going to do something tonight too.

This week will be defined as a good workout week, I am determined. Getting back into the grove and finishing it out feeling good about myself. The best part too is that on Friday I am headed to Charlotte! :) Those always make for the best weekends. Maybe I will get my fiance to work out with me at least once when I am there. Even though we are registering Saturday afternoon and going to Ikea on Sunday so there will be lots of walking involved. :)

The good news is I am down again a little bit - 163.6lbs. It's coming off and I have 4 weeks left! I can do this I know I can.

Have a great Monday! :)

Here goes nothing...

Thank Goodness it is Friday! I am looking forward to this weekend - sleeping in and getting some errands and chores done. I know I am weird, I enjoy cleaning from time to time because I love when everything is organized and clean so it's worth it to me. It is just so calming. Plus we got our carpets cleaned yesterday so it will look especially clean! Yay!

On a completely different note - my sister pointed something out this week that was kind of amazing to me. One evening this week I was bringing in Maddie's new cat litter I bought at Sam's Club that is 42 pounds. I was struggling with it a little bit and stopped at her door on the way back to my room and made this comment: "It's hysterical to me I am struggling with this when I use to use 55lb dumbbells to do floor bench press in college with no problem!" She then asked me how much it weighted and I said 42lbs. She then told me it's even more impressive that you have lost almost that amount of weight you are holding. I thought about that for a second. The most I had lost was almost 35lbs at my lowest (I'm sitting at 30 right now), that's only 7lbs off what I was struggling to carry. I was huffing and puffing carrying that in from my car to my room yet I use to carry that around on me ALL THE TIME!

I went back to my room and changed out Maddie's litter box and then picked it back up. I probably poured out about 5-7lbs so it was probably now at the right amount now. I picked it up and put it in the laundry room where I keep it. It's hard to believe I lost THAT! I use to watch Biggest Loser all the time and one of the most rewarding shows for the contestants is near the end where they have to compete in a challenge where they put back on all the weight they have lost and as they reach check points they can take off what they had lost. It's definitely an emotional challenge for them as they realize what they have lost and what they are able to achieve now.

I have not lost 100lbs, but just holding that 35-42lbs in my hands did make it real, it did make what I have been working on seem tangible and it made me realize that what I still have left it worth it. Including re-losing the pounds I already lost and gained back I have about 14 pounds to go till I hit my goal. The truth is I wasn't sure if I could get there. I have been within the same 5lbs (160-165) since October last year. Maybe this is my maintenance weight? I have thought that for some time now. Well I also decided this week that I don't want for that to be the case and at least not give it a solid try to get down to 150lbs. I think part of it is believing that I can do it. I'm not sure if I really thought I could do it. I'm still struggling getting there mentally, but I also know it's something I want to try so why not?! This weekend I am going to try and make a plan for the next month. "Map out" if you will how to get under 160lbs in 4 weeks and then continue that on for the remaining 10lbs after that.

Here goes nothing...

Sticky Notes

Good Morning and Happy Thursday!

There really isn't too much to talk about today honestly. I have 4 weeks to go and 4.5lbs to lose to reach my goal of "Under 160 by July 20th!" Did I tell you I made a sticky that says exactly that and I have it posted on my monitor at work? haha! It's next to my "Drink Water Meghan" sticky - which totally works by the way. I know it is a bit dorky but sometimes I need the consistent reminder in my face everyday so when I want to eat that packet of Oreos that is sitting in my desk I won't! I see the sticky and I decide that a peach is a better option.

Today I am not going to be able to work out sadly but life happens. My morning was busy getting ready for the carpet cleaners and getting things off the floor and such. This afternoon is my boss' birthday so we as a department are taking her to lunch. Then tonight I have to run 2 errands down by the beach and then head to the other side of town to meet a great friend for lunch that I went to high school with for dinner. Today the cards just weren't in my favor but that's okay there is always tomorrow and I plan on getting some time in even if it's the morning!

By the way I got to run with my new shoes yesterday at lunch! They are great just like my old ones but better because they are all new. YAY!

Well I hope everyone has a great day and only one more day after today till the weekend! Yippie!

Who isn't busy - it's not an excuse!

Everyone always says they are busy! When is the last time you heard someone say things were slow and they had nothing to do? I would love to be able to say I wasn't running around like a chicken with my head cut off. Sadly life today is just busy and we have to accept that fact, not use it as an excuse and get our butts moving. 

My problem - I use the I am busy excuse too much. I let myself believe it is a valid excuse and that I am different than everyone else and just don't have time. If I really want to make the changes than I really must find the time to get in the exercise and make the right choices when eating. I heard something the other day while watching E! News (it's my guilty pleasure - no judging!) that this person follows the 80/20 rule when eating - 80% of the time they are good and 20% of the time they enjoy themselves and don't worry about it. I always have said when I am really watching that I am good most of the time so I think that might be a good rule for me to follow. There is no hard set rule that for 1 day or 2 days a week I won't track or if I go over oh well - NO it's just that if something comes up like tonight where I have back to back meetings with food and wine at both I need to just stay away maybe from the friend foods and other not as healthy options to balance out the wine that you know I am going to have :) Staying in moderation with the food and wine is the key for me.

I think that is truly what I need to learn - balance! I work out like 4-5 times one week and then the next maybe once. There is no consistency there and that isn't going to do myself any good. I need to find a balance that works for me. I need to learn how to wake up early and get things done when I know I will not be able to utilize my lunch hour nor have time after work. That's just that. Take yesterday for example - I knew that I had to be somewhere off site at 2pm for work but I didn't want to work out at lunch as people might not know that I am leaving for work and get the wrong message about me so I worked through lunch instead. I also knew that I had a meeting at 6:15 after work for an organization I am part of so both times slots were taken. I simply just said oh well can't work out. First I was proud of myself for not beating myself up over it like I use to do - yay me! However I needed to have followed that statement with a well I should have planned better and gotten up early to work out, next time I will do that. It's called making it work in your busy schedule! 

Monday I was proud of myself - I thought I had a lunch meeting so I knew that time frame was out so my gym bag in my car was for the gym afterwards. However throughout the day events occurred and after work became very busy with important but unforeseen events which put me home after 7pm. At that point I am starving and knew I had to eat, but I can't run/get my blood going with a full belly I have found. That didn't stop me I worked around that small barrier and went for a 30 minute walk with Wrigley. No I didn't burn as many calories as I would have if I had gone for a run, swam or took a class at the YMCA but it was something! That is the point I need to make to myself - it was something! I need to learn to work around my busy schedule, work around any small barriers and not let myself make stupid excuses to get me out of the right choices.

It a slow process again, I feel like I have done this a million times. The good news is it is at least becoming easier and easier each time! I am leaving early again today but with my whole team for an off site meeting but I still brought my bag, today I am taking my lunch and working out. Yay! 

New Shoes!

I'm soo excited my new running shoes came in today! I had them delivered to work because I didn't want them sitting outside my door at home all day since no one would be there for like 12 hours! They are the exact same shoes as I had last time but in a different color - LOVE them. The Asics GT-2160 - BEST running shoe ever! So comfortable and my shins and calves don't hurt like crazy after running like they did with the shoes I use to wear before. I HAD to buy the same ones - but let me tell you, finding them in my size was damn near impossible! They are such a popular shoes because they are so awesome that I had a difficult time finding an 8.5 regular width, which is a popular size apparently.

Now I am looking forward to going and working out to try these bad boys out! Unfortunately today isn't the best day sadly. I was suppose to have a lunch meeting but it got moved to Wednesday so I didn't' bring lunch so I have to go out and get it, so no working out at lunch time. Then after work I have some coordination with my sister of returning rental car and picking up her car at the shop since it had some issues.  Therefore normal working out after work isn't going to happen. So new plan - take care of everything, go home and eat dinner and then go for a walk with Wrigley. Hey I'll still get to try them out right?!

By the way down a bit more to 164.4 - 1.4lbs off in a tad over a week. Not too bad. Time to really swing into action and get under that 160 mark in 5 weeks.

1 Year - GO ME!

Nothing really to say today except that I am proud of myself for 2 reasons yesterday!

1.) I went downstairs at my lunch break which in itself I am proud of myself for because I did NOT want to be active. However, I dragged myself down there and told myself you are going to go 5 minutes warm up, 20 minutes good cardio and then 5 minutes warm-down. Nothing too much but you are going to do that Meghan! Well I got to the bathroom and changed into my workout gear and originally thought I had forgotten socks. There was a small part of me that wanted to say oops oh well guess I can't work out now! BUT I decided NOT to listen to that voice and put my shoes on without socks and decided I would either do the row machine or the elliptical since that would be better than the treadmill without socks. I was soo proud of myself for putting those shoes on anyway and going for it (which by the way smell terrible from being soaking wet last weekend and running on the beach soaked too - so working out without socks wouldn't have helped but whatever). Thankfully right before I walked out of the stall I saw my socks on the floor, they had popped out when I wasn't paying attention and were a tad hidden under my bag. Thank Goodness! So with the socks I hopped on the treadmill and ran my 20 minutes straight! Yay me!

2.) I went to Pei Wei last night like I said I was going to - DELICIOUS! Wow I have missed that place. I had to wait a bit on my sister so I was staring at the menu big time. The Lo Mein was always my favorite and I really wanted to get it, but I knew that it didn't fit within my calories. I had a little battle in my head because I was thinking if I used all my work out calories it would and it's so yummy so what's the harm?! We got up to the register and I ordered what I had originally planned on getting and had already plugged into MFP. The Thai Dynamite Chicken Velveted (velveted means they use vegetable stock instead and it cuts a little bit down on everything)  is what I ordered with steamed brown rice. OMG it was delicious! I had never had it before and really enjoyed it. I ate all the meal and had some of the brown rice but since we also split the lettuce wraps I  just couldn't finish is all, I was stuffed. I even had 2 fortune cookies and I was right at my calorie count for the day. I was so proud of myself for sticking to my guns. I'm going to have to get the Lo Mein one day, I will just have to plan for it and make it happen! :)

Well those were my 2 non-scale victories for yesterday. Small progress and definitely headed in the right direction!

On a side note wedding planning is coming along GREAT! I don't understand why some people say it is soo stressful and difficult to do?! We have our date, venue, photographer, DJ, caterer and bar service all nailed down with contracts signed. However yesterday was the best part - our wedding stationary is being custom designed by some good friends and the invite was approved yesterday! It is so stinkin cute and I love love love it. They are working on the Save the Date now and I can't wait to get it. This is all so much fun and I love doing all of it. In 6 weeks I go try on dresses and that is going to be awesome. I can't wait for all of it to come together next year and I get to marry the man of my dreams!

Well Happy Thursday and yay for it being 1 day closer to the weekend!

BTW - I just realized that today marks exactly 1 year that I started this blog! Check out my first post ever - Day #1 I know that I have fallin off the horse these past few months and the posts have been few and far between but it's been 1 year and I couldn't be prouder! Here's to getting back on the horse and keeping this going.

Happy Hump Day!

Happy Hump Day! Does anyone else feel that this week is crawling by? I am ready for the weekend now! I'm excited about it too, I am going to the Riverside Arts Market (RAM) with some friends and bringing Wrigley (my Golden Retriever) along with me around lunch time - RAM is one of my favorite things to do on a Saturday! Then in the evening I am going to the library to meet their event coordinator (the one at the library that I get to use to coordinate all my vendors) to view a wedding there. I just stand in the background and observe - no eating or drinking, I'm not a guest. This couple is using the space that I would use if it rains on us, so my plan B. I figured it would be a good idea to view for the just in case option for my wedding. Later in August I will view a wedding that is using the exact same space as I am. Then Sunday morning at 9am I am going to the Ronald McDonald house with people from my work to help cook breakfast/brunch. We do that once a month and I haven't been able to do it in a few months (either in Charlotte or fiance is here in Jax) so I'm free this time and definitely going. I always enjoy doing that. Hopefully afterwards I can go to the beach for a little bit too and relax. All in all definitely a weekend I am looking forward to!

Today though I brought my workout bag with me to work. I am going to go do something during my lunch break. I haven't decided what I am going to do - run on the treadmill or hop on the elliptical for a bit, either way something is going to happen. Then tonight I am going with my sister to Pei Wei for dinner. It's a delicious Pan Asian restaurant owned by P.F. Changs that is almost better in my opinion. It's one of those places you order up front, take a number and they bring you your food. Well I got online this morning with their nutrition menu and figured out what would work within my calories. I'm soo proud I have my whole day planned out and under my calorie count without skipping out on anything (under by 70 - so definitely having a chocolate or something to treat myself) and I haven't even accounted for the work out yet! :) I'm getting better slowly but surely.

However even with that said last night I enjoyed a juicy burger with swiss cheese. I have been craving a burger for a while and I don't eat fast food so it had been lingering for a bit. I met a friend at a local brewery restaurant that just tapped their summer wheat beer and they have awesome burgers so I decided to kill the craving. It was a delicious burger, definitely not fast food and killed my craving. For the sides instead of coleslaw and shoe string french fries I opted for steak fries (a bit better than the other fries option) and grilled veggies light on the butter and salt. No it wasn't the best thing I could order on the menu overall, but you know when you have a craving sometimes you just have to kill it or it will haunt you and take over. At least I opted for better sides right?!

Overall it's a slow start back but I'm on my way. Oh I almost forgot yesterday after my post about my new goal a friend emailed me afterwards telling me how proud she was of me but to warn me that wedding dresses run almost 2 sizes smaller than "normal" sizes and didn't want me to get all upset with all the hard work I am putting in. She told me to go try on clothes a day or 2 before the wedding dress shopping day so that I can see I truly am that size. lol! She wanted to make sure I felt like a princess that day and enjoyed myself and didn't let some stupid number ruin my day. I couldn't help but smile - that email completely made my day. She is so sweet and thoughtful to make sure that I was aware of that and looking out for me. You are truly an amazing friend and I love you!

Well Happy Hump Day again and here's to a fast downhill to the weekend!

Staying Strong for my New Goal!

It's a slow process getting back into the swing of things let me tell you. I have NOTHING to train for which is typically my downfall and I just did a race on Saturday and historically after a race I lay low for a week or 2. Well yesterday I had a bowling charity fundraiser event for Ronald McDonald House with work and left at 2:30 for that so I didn't want to work out at lunch nor afterwards since they fed us for free and full belly is no good for working out.  This morning I work up and thought I should do something at work at lunch. Well my shoes are still wet from this weekend so I decided nope won't do anything at lunch and since I am meeting a friend after lunch for a happy hour that won't work either.

On the way to work I thought about it and was like I could have grabbed my old shoes and done the elliptical or bike or something instead of run and the old shoes would have been just fine. Oh well I just took the excuse of wet shoes and used it as my way out. I really need to stop that and just buckle down and exercise more. I need to go to the YMCA and take the classes, swim, run on the treadmill it doesn't matter - just do something more often!

Also I need to get better with eating again. I am getting better but I need to do even better. I am still eating whatever, especially at dinner which isn't good. I am not stopping when I am full, I just keep going and I know that isn't good. I know I can't snap my fingers and I will change and do a 180, but I do need to curve the direction that way faster than I am doing currently.

Getting back into the swing of things is never easy! The trick is not getting discouraged nor giving up. I just need to remind myself of that and keep going. The goal remember Meghan is fitting into the sample size dresses as Brides Against Breast Cancer on July 20th!

Okay I am putting it in writing - My Goal By July 20, 2012 Will Be To Weight UNDER 160lbs! I have been striving for that goal for MONTHS now - I can do it, why not now?! 

Soaking Wet Trident

Well I am still alive after my first Triathlon! Let me tell you that was an experience. On the way to the beach it starts sprinkling. We get there and it's fine but very cloudy and still quite dark for 6:30am. We go drop our surf boards down and go check in to get our ankle time monitors. When we go back to our boards to put them in the racks since they weren't up when we got there it begins to sprinkle. At that point we decide to take our bags back to the truck and leave them inside so they don't get too wet. On the way back to the truck it begins to rain harder. By the time we get to the truck it's pouring, seriously POURING! Thankfully I had decided to run in just my 2 piece swim suit and a sports bras on top and running shoes. Besides my shoes being full of water it wasn't too bad being soaked from head to toe - no joke. It was like I had jumped into a pool. Fantastic!

We were walking back to the beach and just laughing because this was ridiculous! They had already canceled the swim  leg and told us instead you get to keep running but in the water -YIPPIE - j/k! I would have soo much rather swam than had to have keep running. Apparently the lifeguards didn't want to have to save everyone. LOL! We finally decide to say screw it we are doing this anyway, we are here and it's still going on and it's not like we can get any wetter.

Originally we were very competitive and who was going to beat who, me or my fiance. We didn't even want to start by each other so that we couldn't be distracted or be "pushed" to run a different race than we wanted to. Well at 7:25am when we headed to the starting line for a 7:30 start soaked from head to toe and our feet in our own puddles called our shoes we just didn't care anymore. Plus the swim had been canceled so it wasn't the same race as he did last year so it really just didn't matter. We decided to start together and I am glad we did, especially since I had opted out of running with my iPhone. I always run with it because it tracks my pace, time, mileage with the Nike+ GPS app and I listen to music which honestly is the most important part. I didn't want it to get ruined with all the rain so I left it in the truck in my bag. I had never run without music before so this was going to be interesting, so running with him even though we didn't talk was definitely helpful. We ran together for the first 2 miles when he had to stop and walk for a bit. I kept going and caught up with my Aggie teammate to basically finish out the race - thank God for her because I was starting to struggle, especially without the music to zone out with. We finished the run and stripped out of our shoes and such and away we went to continue to run in the water - BOO!

Finally the paddle - this was the hardest part. Correction getting out beyond the surf was the hardest part! It was quite rough and the waves we some of the largest I had ever seen at Jax Beach. Since it was a paddle a long board was required, the problem with a long board is getting out with larger surf, you can't duck dive! You have to do this thing called the turtle roll which Friday night was the first time I had ever done it. Oh well I made it out there eventually. Paddling though was an interesting experience - WOW I have lost a lot of muscle in my arms and shoulders. They were burning from the moment I hopped onto the board. Once I finally got out there I figured out if I put my head as far down as I could and kept my arms low to the water I could get a lot from each pull and my arms, neck and back didn't burn too bad. They still did but figuring out that little technique was my savor. I booked along passing A LOT of people. In fact I went too far on the paddle, one of the lifeguards on jet skis had to come by me and tell me I had gone to far and could start to head in. OOPS! LOL! Going in was great, I caught a wave all the way in and it was like heaven! I saw a lot of boards on the ground but I decided to finish with mine in hand.

It was a lot of fun and 1:04.25 was my final time. 32.47 5K run, 6.53 for the "swim/run" and 23.45 for the paddle. All in all a good time and definitely something I would do again next year! Plus I beat my fiance by basically 2 minutes and I beat his time from last year so in 1 time I beat him twice - Love It! :) Hey we might have said screw it but I am still competitive at heart and nature so sorry babe it had to be said. LOVE YOU!

As promised here's a picture of me: (ignore the hair it was still somewhat pulled back in pigtails and looks ridiculous!)

Never Quit Never

Well it's the day before my first triathlon. Well it's not a normal one as there is no biking leg; it's a paddling leg instead. You see it is a 5K run on the beach, a 500 meter swim in the ocean and then a 1500 meter paddle laying on a surf board to finish it off. I'm really excited about it. Last year I was going to do the 5K only but just had surgery so wasn't able to compete. I still put up my bib on wall in my cube at work and where I normally write the time, I wrote, for participation next year. I'm excited about this year doing the whole challenge - the Trident as it is called and solo at that. You can do a relay but there was no part of me not going to do the whole thing by myself. The other motivation was to beat my fiance's time from last year and to beat him this year too. That would mean that I would beat him twice in 1 fair swoop! :) LOVE IT! haha If you want to read about this event check out the Never Quit Never website - http://neverquitnever.com/

So run, swim and paddle. Obviously I have to have a swim suit on and I wasn't going to run in a 1 piece, no thank you. So I bought a 2 piece offline a few weeks back. It fits great for swimming, the top that is, but as a sports bra for running there isn't enough support. So I thought I would just throw over a sports bra on top of the swim suit and could rip that off when I am done and be good to go for the swimming part. I am actually only going to run in that, the 2 piece, running shoes and my iPod. I thought about this for a while - was a ready emotionally or mentally to run in so little clothing, especially with my stomach on display? I have to stop and take off my shoes anyway before the swim because I wasn't going to be one of the crazy people running barefoot for a 5K, so what would be a pair of shorts and tank top?

I tossed the 2 ideas back and forth for a while but ultimately decided it would be good for me. Yes I gained 5 pounds back, lost 1 of them already so I'm not at my skinniest of this journey right now but I am very close and I have been in a bikini plenty of times so why not?! I think it will actually be a good mental boast for me to do this. Plus last night when I was talking to a fellow Aggie swimmer and friend who will be doing this too race too and she said the same thing but ultimately decided on the same decision too - swim suit only! We both have been on similar journeys, except she is soo much better about working out than I am! Go girl Go Girl! lol That definitely confirmed my decision and I am scared but excited about baring it all - kinda.

I promise that I will post a picture next week. It will be good for me I think to do that so stay tuned! :)

Have a great weekend!!!

Felt Good

5K accomplished and it was this morning! :) YAY! 

Last night I set my alarm for 5:30 AM - I know right?! The weather said there was a 30-40% chance of rain so I looked at the radar when it went off and ya they were wrong they should have said 100% chance. Anyway I laid back down and thought to myself, I HAVE to run today will I have time at lunch - NO. Okay will I have time after work - NO. Okay then the ONLY time you have Meghan to work out is this morning. You can't run outside nor swim in the ocean so get your ass out of bed and go to the YMCA and get on a treadmill do 2 miles or something and then hop into the pool for like a 500-800 real quick. Wow that was quick to write but it wasn't a quick convo/battle in my head this morning. I probably argued with myself for a good 5 minutes or so. 

I finally go up and put 2 pieces of toast in the toaster, got clothes on and found burnt toast. 2 more pieces and I finished getting my stuff for work and found 2 good pieces of toast, butter a little sugar free jam and out the door I went. I got to the Y and hopped onto a treadmill in front of the window, turned on the news channel I like (when did I get old and choose the news?!) cranked my music on my iPhone strapped to my arm, set the treadmill and closed the panel that showed the time and mileage and got lost in my music while watching the rain. I felt good. I set it at 5.1 and ran a mile, then bumped it to 5.2 till 1.5 miles when I bumped it to 5.4 and kept it there until 2.75 miles (I know right I said I was only going to do 2 miles) when I bumped it to 6.0 at 3 miles I bumped it again to 6.8 and brought it home for a 5K! I felt great I warmed up with a quarter mile before I even started the 5K so I did almost 3.5 miles when I only set out to do 2. Yay me! lol! 

I jumped off the treadmill right when I finished the 5K as my plan was to go jump in the pool and do a 500-800 swim. I had my 2 piece on that I plan to wear in the Tri this weekend so it was an easy transition. Well that was a failed plan because they had the pool closed because of the storm. Okay I know I have bitched about this before so I should have known it would happen but they have a GROUNDED pool! That means it can't be struck by lightning. They say they have lots of windows so want to be safe - Bullshit you have a GROUNDED pool! BOO! So instead I took a longer shower than I had planned and really stretched out my legs. Wasn't the ideal warm-down but it worked. (ask me later today and hopefully I will say the same thing - I'm praying!) 

I didn't swim last night so I was a bit bummed that I didn't get to swim this morning either and tonight I don't think I am going to have time because I am meeting a friend for dinner at 7 and need to run an errand too. We'll see. Maybe Friday morning I'll swim. I would like to swim 1 more time before this weekend. Granted I know the swimming part will be fine since swimming is "natural" for me, it will just be how good I actually feel while doing it. LOL! 

Well here's to a good Thursday and my 4th day - count it 4 times (I think that might be more than the last 2 months combined) that I have written now this month. I have missed writing for myself and taking time for myself, it's nice. :) 

TIRED

Oh wow I am tired this morning! I was tired yesterday too but today is definitely a new level. I decided to listen to my body last night and not go swim after work. I figured it wouldn't kill me and ultimately it was what my body was screaming anyway. So instead I went to the grocery store and picked up groceries to make dinner. It was this veggie roast with shrimp, garlic, herbs olive oil and lemon juice - delicious!

I got home at 5:50pm and realized as I was pulling in that I completely forgot about my bang trim appointment at 5:30! I wasn't sure if it was the food or the tiredness that made me forget. Either way I forgot! The receptionist told me I could come by at 6:45 which is what I did and glad I called since my hair looks cleaner and polished now with the bangs all trimmed. It's important because on Saturday my fiance and I are going to take these pictures - it's this thing his parents won where we get pictures taken for 30 minutes and we get to pick 1 for a 9x13 canvas for free. 

Last night I relaxed, did 1 load of laundry and was past out asleep by 10:30. I woke up at 4am in the same position that I fell asleep in I swear but from that point forward Wrigley (my 80lb golden retriever) just annoyed  m and I didn't sleep too well the rest of the time. In fact I over slept, scrambled to get a shower in and out the door so I wouldn't be too late and I completely forgot to put on make-up! Wow I was tired I never forget that. I mean I don't wear much anyway, but to completely forget is not like me. 

Did I push it too hard already? Is it just that my body is doing something a bit different than it has been use to lately? Well yes but wow it's struggling which is a bit of a surprise to me. I am thinking I ran Monday and Tuesday maybe I should take today off from running and run tomorrow and Friday off - hmmmm. Maybe I will just swim today and that's it. Should I do anything at lunch? The questions now are building up that is for sure. I don't want to fall off again and I don't want to be too tired for this weekend - what to do? I hate struggling with myself, it's never fun and ultimately stresses me out a little bit which is even less fun. 

Okay so I just paused for a bit thinking about what I should do. I looked at the weather since it looks like it's suppose to storm this afternoon. I am going to take my lunch break off. I am going to go swim this afternoon after work and if it rains than I will hop on a bike or something. I am going to go to bed super early like 9pm or something because I do want to get up early on Thursday and go run on the beach. That means I have to get up really early but the good news is I can head straight to work because we have a shower here and I can just get ready here. That also means early to bed on Thursday too but honestly it's the best thing for me anyway. Okay that's the plan! 

Here's to getting through the week and being sane at the other end. 

Why Hello Legs

Okay Day #2 of running again. It's amazing to me that this weekend will mark 3 months ago I ran a 15K and how FAR from that I am now! Well I guess it shouldn't surprise me too much, I mean how many years did I crawl back into the pool at the end of August after being off for a few weeks from swimming and had lost so much. I could still do it, just couldn't go as far as easily - same thing is happening with running. I can still go out there and run but not as well as I could when I was regularly training.

This morning I set my alarm for 6 am - yes I know me I woke up early to work out can you believe it?! I dragged myself out of bed, put my running shoes on and managed to get out the door. However note to self - you CANNOT wake up and be out the door in 5 minutes at that time in the morning, you are too slow! lol! Anyway I got out and immediately felt my legs. They were talking back to me after our run yesterday. I managed to get to Publix and back like I had said I would. This morning wasn't about time or distance, it was about getting out on the road again and running.

I must comment though on holy cow it was humid this morning. I was so happy I remembered at that time in the morning to take my inhaler because that could have been a lot worse!

I finished and made it home and jumped into the shower. I stood there for a few minutes with the water running over me and knew that heels would not be an option today. I could feel my legs getting tighter and decided stretching was in store for me afterwards. The funny part was the Wrigley didn't want me to stretch, he kept getting in the way trying to get me to play with him or lay down with me - the little bugger, haha! I thought they might be doing better than they were since I also swam yesterday afternoon - a whopping 800 swim and 400 kick. Just something easy to get in and loosen up since it's been months since I was in the water. Nope leg's were definitely telling me hello regardless.

This morning sitting here at my desk I thought back on yesterday and realized I worked out more yesterday than I think I did all of May! LOL! I got in a 30 minute workout at lunch and a 25 minute dip into the pool after work. I was proud of myself for that and the icing on the cake for me was MFP yesterday. I was standing in the Chipotle line after my swim and was starving. (It's amazing how hungry swimming makes you, even just a little dip!) I looked at the board and thought, oh wow guacamole and chips sound amazing I am going to get that with my carnitas bowl; especially because the family sitting next to where I was sitting was enjoying it and oh wow yummo! While still waiting to order I plugged the meal into MFP - HOLY H*LL 700+ calories for the guac and chips?! Nope not for me and I didn't order it. Instead I ran by Pollo Tropical next door and got their balsamic tomatoes small side for 170ish calories. MUCH BETTER option!

Hopefully today I can continue this - I ran already, I plan on doing the row machine for 10-15 minutes at lunch and stretch for a while and then going for a dip again after work. Maybe I'll do a 1500 today instead of the 1200 yesterday? lol! The little victories!

Just remember Meghan - Wedding Dress Shopping in Tminus 45 days!!!!

Hello Again

Hello Again! This isn't so much a hello to those that read this but really a hello to myself. I have been so crazy busy  lately and honestly lazy - gasp I know I'm not a lazy person but when it comes to exercise, eating right and everything related you find my weakness.

For weeks I have been telling myself that I have to get back onto MyFitnessPal (MFP) and start writing again. It made me very happy and gave me a purpose. Well I just haven't done it, and there is really no excuse than me being lazy. This weekend I was at a wedding and the bride looked beautiful! I know if I were to get married today I would look beautiful but I would have a voice in my head saying I wish I was smaller. I don't want that voice in my head on the most perfect day of my life! I decided this weekend that on Monday (today) when I got back I would kick my butt back into gear. Start small and work myself up.

Well I don't know if I technically can start too small as this weekend I am doing my first ever triathlon kinda; it's a 5K run on the beach, 500 meter swim in the ocean and a 1500 meter paddle on a surf board to finish it off. My fiance is doing it with me and I can't let him beat me! lol!  Today I got on the treadmill at lunch, I finally made myself get down there and just do it. I walked to warm myself up for 5 minutes and then ran for 20 minutes straight. It wasn't that fast, only at 5.0 pace, the last minute I upped it to 5.8 with the last 30 being at 6.0! I then cooled down for 5 minutes for a total of 30 minutes total of being on the treadmill. I didn't push myself, just kept it slower and steady and proved to myself I can still do this. Tonight I plan on going to the YMCA and going for a 20-30 minute swim. Again nothing pushing myself, just slow and steady. I plan on swimming everyday this week to get myself ready for this weekend and at least walk everyday too at some point.

After this weekend the #1 "reason" to not workout will be gone - NOT that it really did much for me anyway, but something to train for is gone. I need to focus on me and that ultimately I WANT to do this for me. I am dress shopping on July 20th and my goal is to fit into the sample size dresses and have them zip or tie or whatever all the way! That means probably another 5-8 pounds in 7 weeks - that's a pound a week approximately. It's time to focus on what I am eating again, work out again and just be healthy again.

Starting up is by far one of the hardest things to do when exercising. Therefore if I am not posting, if I am not logging on MFP, if I am not being healthy YELL AT ME PLEASE! Sometimes I just need a swift kick in the ass. :)

Hello Again Meghan!