30 Day Shred Challenge- Day 23

Today's workout seemed more difficult. I think mostly because it's been a long day and I really did not want to do it.

My morning started pretty early. My dad went in for surgery this morning so I got up in order to check in with my mom to make sure she was doing okay. The last time my dad went in for a routine "easy" surgery his heart ended up stopping. Long story short, he now gets two birthdays- his real birthday in January and his "re birthday" in August.

Needless to say, him going in for another routine surgery brought back bad memories and anxiety.

I took the day off of work in order to be home with Isabel. Normally when I'm at work either Patrick or my mom are with Isabel, depending on Patrick's schedule. Patrick had to work a mid shift today, leaving me to finally spend a day with her.

We decided that instead of wasting the morning by sleeping in we would go up to the courthouse to get our marriage license. Another item crossed off the list.

We then met my mom in the waiting room at the hospital until my dad was ready to go home.

A fast food lunch and a nap later and I feel useless.

I did the workout though. As much as I hated every minute I got it done.

And now I'm off to take a shower, carb up at Olive Garden for our race on Sunday and pick up my wedding dress.

30 Day Shred Challenge- Day 22

I'm not going to lie, tonight was an intense workout. I blame that on being stressed and taking my aggression out on the workout. I guess it worked because I'm sitting here in my after workout glow of endorphins and I'm feeling much better about everything.

Then again everything is sitting there waiting for me. As soon as I get off of this couch I'm going to go back to being stressed with the things on my to-do list.

I will be doing the workout earlier than normal both tomorrow and Saturday. Not quite sure how I feel about that. On one hand I'll be able to do more advanced versions (I modify some because of the noise I can only assume it makes for our neighbors downstairs). On the other hand, I am a creature of habit and I like knowing that at 730 every night I will be doing the workout. I guess as long as it gets done then that's the important part.

Weigh In #3

Weight:

Today's weight: 163.8

This weeks +/-: -2.0

Total weight +/-: -3.0

 

This came as a complete shock. I was anticipating a loss this week because I thought yesterday was Thursday so I weighed in in the morning, but I was not ready to see that I was down 2 pounds. Hey, I'll take what I can get! I'm slightly worried about whether or not there will be a gain next week to even out this unexpected loss.

 

At this point I'm going to say that I deserved it. I've been working out like a mad woman and eating healthier. At least staying within the calories for the most part. Could be better, but it clearly could be worse..

Thankful Thursday- Vol. 11

Since I completely forgot to post this last week I'm going to post 10 things this week...

1. I am thankful that my body has become stronger since doing 30 Day Shred. I can definitely tell a difference in my endurance and in my strength.

2. I am thankful that Patrick and I are going to get our marriage license tomorrow. I can cross one more thing off of our to-do list.

3. I am thankful that I get to go pick up my wedding dress tomorrow night. My sister, and Matron of Honor, is going with me. It is going to look so different with the addition of the cap-sleeves.

4. I am thankful that the wedding is 6 weeks away. I cannot believe how fast time has flown by. I am thankful that I chose to start planning early so that it hasn't been too stressful.

5. I am thankful that I have a four day weekend. Although I'm taking tomorrow off since my dad will be having surgery it will be nice to get to spend some extra time with Isabel and get some stuff taken care of.

6. I am thankful that I lost 2 pounds at weigh in this morning. Being very optimistic (sarcasm) I keep thinking I'm going to gain next week and this was just a fluke. I'm going to keep doing what I'm doing though and hopefully I'll continue losing.

7. I am thankful that I am getting my nails and eyebrows done tonight. Even though I have to spend money (which I hate doing) it is needed and kind of nice to pamper myself a little bit.

8. I am thankful that Level 3 of 30 Day Shred is not as difficult as I anticipated it to be. It's still difficult, but I'm impressing myself with what I am able to do.

9. I am thankful that I am learning to give myself more credit. I really never thought that I would be able to complete the 30 Day Shred Challenge. I also didn't think I would stick with it because I tend to not complete things. But here I am, 9 workouts away from being done.

10. I am thankful that the Disney Half Marathon is on Sunday. It's my first Disney race and we get to run through Angel Stadium. Cannot wait! Patrick's camera broke so I'm trying to figure out what to do because my camera is huge and I don't want to run 13.1 miles while carrying it. Decisions decisions...

Random Wedding Stuff

Garter. Sold by Kate's Wedding on Amazon.com

Cake Topper (Front)

Cake Topper (Back). Sold by A-Perfect-Day on Amazon.com

Party favors. Found on pinterest. Photo from masterpieceweddings.blogspot.com

30 Day Shred Challenge- Day 21

I was more worried than I needed to be about starting level three. I'm not saying it's easy by any means, but I feel like I have definitely built up my endurance to make it to this level.

I am still following the modified versions and am a little intimidated to attempt the advanced versions. I think I can work my way into doing them.

Only 4 more days until the half marathon and then I can go back to giving it my all again. I may need to take the DVD with me to work or to my parents house. I'm starting to feel really bad for our down stairs neighbors. Especially with the increase in jump moves.

21 days down.. 9 to go.

Swarley- Better Known as Marley

(Yes, that is a How I Met Your Mother reference)

Swarley is just one of her MANY nicknames.

Her nicknames include, but are not limited to: Mar Mar Ba Dang Dang, Hairball City Kitty, Mars Bar, Marls Barkley, Stinky, Mar Mar Ba Jangles and Kitty Face.

She is best known as Marley.

She rarely responds to any of the above mentioned names.

She weighs 13 pounds.

She weighs herself daily, usually right after I weigh myself.

I don't think she realizes.

We've had her for a year.

During tonights workout she spent 20 minutes chasing a fly.

Neither of us know where it is.

In the mornings she will meow for 30 minutes while I get ready for work.

When I get the spoon out of the drawer to feed her she pulls it towards herself and rubs her face on it and bites it.

She could care less about me after I feed her.

I've tried feeding her first and then getting ready for work.

She gets confused after she eats because I'm still there and will meow trying to trick me into feeding her again.

If I press snooze on my alarm she will jump on the bed.

If I turn my alarm off, sit up and then lay back down she will sit on my face.

Her favorite spot in the house is on the arm of the couch where the air conditioner blows.

She also enjoys laying in the shower, but only if it's dry.

She hates the sound of plastic bags.

She can often be found napping on top of my shoes in my closet.

She likes to sit near the silk flowers on the coffee table. She puts her face in it and I like to think she's pretending she's in the wild.

She just found the fly again and is tracking it down.

She thinks when I take my vitamins at night that I'm going to give her treats.

I always give in.

If you sit down to pay bills she will sit right on top of them.

She can usually be found right beside me while I'm working out.

Usually on her back expecting me to pet her... Or teasing me that she's a cat and she doesn't have to work out.

Her picture is the background on my work computer. When I get overwhelmed or stressed at work I minimize the screen and see her.

She calms me down.

When I get home from work she jumps up on my leg.

I pick her up and carry her on my hip like a baby.

She lets me hold her like this until I sit down and then she's gone.

All of my black clothes have white hair on them.

All of my white clothes have black hair on them.

I own a lint brush, but I'm too lazy to use it.

Her tail is as long or longer than her body.

She's weird.

She fits right in.

We really couldn't have asked for a better cat.

30 Day Shred Challenge- Day 20

It's bittersweet saying goodbye to level 2.

I am so glad to say goodbye to all of the plank moves, however as I'm watching level three I am wishing I could continue to do the workout that I'm used to. This is seriously intense and this woman is CRAZY! How am I ever going to do these workouts?!?

I'm still mentally having a difficult time allowing myself to consider level two complete considering I've been following the modified versions. Believe me, the modified versions are still difficult and I'm still sweating when the workout is over, but for me I can't see a difference in my body.

Jillian literally just said that we should be able to see a difference in our abs by the start of level three. I'm sitting here just finishing the last day of level two in my sports bra. As I look down I do not see anything close to a six-pack as she is expecting us to have by now. I don't even have a two-pack. Why is there no difference?

The only difference I've seen in doing this workout is in my endurance. I can do some of the workouts that I never thought I could do. That's pretty cool, I guess. But I really thought I'd look in the mirror and see a difference. I thought I'd like what I see.

I'm not giving up though. Not when I'm this close to the end. Like Jillian says, "You don't get to the finish line and quit. That's when you give it even more than you started with."

I just don't feel shredded. Maybe I will in 10 more days, but I really thought there would be a difference by now.

30 Day Shred Measurements Update

Original Measurements:
Bust- 38
Waist- 33.5
Hips- 42.5
Arm (left)- 12
Thigh (left)- 24.5

Measurements After Level 1:
Bust- 37.5 (-.5)
Waist- 32.5 (-1)
Hips- 42 (-.5)
Arm (left)- 12 (0)
Thigh (left)- 24.25 (-.25)

Measurements After Level 2:
Bust- 36.75 (-1.25)
Waist- 31.5 (-2)
Hips- 41 (-1.5)
Arm (left)- 11.75 (-.25)
Thigh (left)- 23.5 (-1)

Original Before Photos:

After Level 1:

After Level 2:

 

 

I feel like you can tell more of a difference after level one. Although the measurements from this morning were positive, I think waiting until after dinner to take the pictures was not the smartest of ideas.

 

I feel like it's all such a mind game and to be honest I'm sick of playing. I wish that I didn't care what I weighed. I wish I didn't care what size pants I wore. I wish I didn't care what my body looked like when no one was looking.

 

I wish I had self confidence in the body I have. I wish I didn't feel the need to workout so much to try to get a body image that I may never get. I wish I could stick to something and have the self discipline to not go off track every chance I get.

 

I wish I knew then what I know now. That when I got back down to 145 pounds that I was not fat. That gaining 80 pounds while pregnant is not just a bad idea for everyone it's pretty damn stupid. That getting back down to 145 over two years after having Isabel was more than a miracle. That stupid c-sections wreck your stomach muscles and no amount of sit ups or crunches will change it. That my body is a lot stronger now at 165 pounds than it was when I reached goal at weight watchers a year ago and was 155 pounds. That I have pushed my body to the edge and continue to push it past that.

 

I wish that I had the money for my next Jillian Michael's goal (Body Revolution). I wish I had the time and energy to run more often. I wish I appreciated my body for doing everything it does on a daily basis. I wish I gave myself more credit for the things I do to my body on a regular basis. Why is it that I can go on a walk during my break at work and feel like it's not meaningful because it's only 1.45 miles. Why is it I keep pressing snooze at 5:20 am when I feel like I could get out of bed to walk only to wake up an hour later to get ready for work and I'm more tired?

 

Why don't I have all the answers? And why do I continue to have the same body issues but not do anything about it? It's not a matter of whether or not I'm doing the right/wrong things. It's a matter of getting my mind off of what my body weighs and more on acceptance.

 

Wow... Okay, this post was not supposed to be more than an update. Congrats if you've made it this far. I'm off to complete the the last night of level 2. I will be blogging about it after I finish while I'm watching level 3 to try to prepare myself for tomorrows workout.

30 Day Shred Challenge- Day 19

I didn't have a chance to blog last night because Patrick was playing online poker last night after my workout. Plus, I was slightly.. okay, extremely frustrated.

Marley keeps getting under foot and I'm so afraid of stepping on. Then Isabel decided that she wanted to be right next to me. I'm so worried I'm going to end up kicking her or punching her accidentally. It's just really frustrating that they want to be right there during that 30 minute period only. Before and after that they could care less.

I shouldn't complain... I love them both so much, but at the same time this is supposed to be my time. I really don't think it's asking too much. Oh well. I'm over it. It's a new day and I'm really excited to take my measurements and a new picture for tonight's recap.

I'm also planning on watching level 3 after I complete level 2 in order to know what to look forward to for tomorrow.

My knee is still giving me a little bit of grief during the workout. I'm still following the modified versions and icing after. I think I may need to dig out the knee brace for a little more support.

Dress for Success 8/27/12

Another outfit inspired by Polyvore...

Blouse- Marshalls

Skirt- New York & Co

Shoes- Target

 

Polyvore Outfit by tmiller1427 featuring v neck t shirts

Fat Face v neck t shirt
$31 - fatface.com

Brunello Cucinelli pencil skirt
$660 - harrods.com

Monki leather handbag
$25 - monki.com

Free People vintage necklace
freepeople.com

Kate Spade stud earrings
couture.zappos.com

30 Day Shred Challenge- Day 18

I have a problem.

I am beginning to feel some pain in my right knee.

I have a half marathon to run next Sunday.

I don't want to push myself and risk injuring it even more and yet I'm on day 18 and I don't want to quit when I'm this close to finally reaching a goal.

So I'm compromising. I'm going to be following the modified versions of all exercises until after the half marathon. I feel comfortable doing this because I'm still doing the workout (and it's still a pretty intense workout) but I feel like it will be easier on my knee. Ideal? No. Manageable? Yes.

I am not going to let this get into my head as a fail. I am going to consider this a success whether I'm following the advanced exercises or the modified exercises. 30 days straight. I never once said I had to go so hard that I injure myself. I have to be smart about this. I am first and foremost a runner.

If I push myself too hard then I am risking being out of the challenge and out of running because I didn't listen to my body. That is the worst mistake I can make.

I think at this point I'm trying to convince myself more than anyone else that it still counts... It may not be as many calories burned, but that's okay. Right?

Why am I my own worst critic?

Meeting Jeff Galloway

I will never be the type of person who can run 26.2 miles straight. I just don't have the body that can do something like that. I will always be amazed by people who can run that distance, hell any distance straight through. I can't even go half a mile without thinking I'm going to die.

And yet I have completed 26.2 miles. Twenty-six point freaking two. It's not something that I thought I would ever do because I never thought about doing it. When Rachel mentioned running a marathon and I decided to join her I didn't really have a plan on how we were going to do this. She wanted to join a running group, I did not. I was afraid that my running style would be something people would make fun of. I thought I'd slow people down. I thought too much.

Rachel quickly found a group and went to a meeting. She asked me to join her for one meeting, just one. If I hated it I didn't have to come back. She got her way. I loved the group and loved the people and loved the method.

The Galloway Method. It's fairly simple. It focuses on intervals. You run for a certain amount of time and then walk for a certain amount of time. You repeat these intervals for your planned distance. Rachel and I currently run 45 seconds and walk 1 minute. There is a formula to these intervals and a way to help you reach your goals.

To me, Jeff Galloway is amazing. His method has helped me to not only become a runner, but it has helped me fall in love with running. Before joining this group I never considered myself a runner, even on the rare occasions that I got out and did it (usually with my iPod on because it was the only way I could make it through a run). I would run a song, walk a song and repeat. I hated every moment of it. I would have a set course and end up taking a different course in order to go home early.

Now I only listen to music on runs with distances longer than 13.1 miles. Now I tend to see someone running down the street and I look with envy, wishing I too could be out running. Now I have more drawers in my dresser dedicated to running attire than I do every day clothes.

It's an addiction... There is no cure. And yet it's also my therapy. Hell, it's cheaper than therapy.

Today we had the opportunity to meet Jeff Galloway at the running store we meet at for our long runs. He also held a class in the morning, however due to some financial difficulties I chose to not partake in this. The meet and greet was free and I couldn't pass up meeting the man that taught me to love something I despised so much only a year ago.

I had so much I wanted to say to him. I wanted to let him know that he has changed my life this past year. I mean, in the past year alone I have completed 1 marathon, 4 half marathons, a few 5K and 10Ks thrown in there, a mud run and many hours of training runs. I've also PR'd my 5K time, my 10K time, my half marathon time and I've made multiple goals for the future (including attempting to PR my marathon time and complete The Goofy Challenge in 2014).

When it was my turn to meet him I froze. I think the only things that came out of my mouth was my name (so he could sign my book) and a thank you after we took the picture. Still the highlight of my day...

My training shirt I received when joining the group.

Jeff Galloway and me.

30 Day Shred Challenge- Day 17

Proof that I really worked out even after having my hair and makeup done.

Before the workout                                              After the workout.                                               

 

Tonight's workout was difficult. It was a long day today with running, my appointments and the bridal shower (which included champagne). But I did it. I'm this far into it. I cannot imagine starting over now.

 

It's been getting difficult to get through the workout. I think I'm at the point where I'm over doing the same workouts everyday. I'm ready to start level three. Only three more days of level two!

My Own Polyvore Outfit

 I finally did it! I finally put together an outfit based on an outfit I made on Polyvore.com. Took me long enough... I also have another one planned for Monday. Look at me, making goals and getting stuff done!

Wallis turquoise top
wallisfashion.com

Wallis black skirt
wallisfashion.com

Gucci wedge sandals
gucci.com

Tahitian pearl necklace
astleyclarke.com

 

Top- Old Navy

Skirt- New York & Co

Shoes- Target

Necklace (although not visible)- Cafe Aroma

Bridal Shower

I just got back from my bridal shower and I want to first and foremost say a BIG "Thank You" to my mom and sister. They put the shower together and I had so much fun! It ended up being a beautiful day weather wise and everything just came together so well.

We were able to eat a little, play a few games and open presents. It was casual, just the way I like it. I didn't feel like the center of attention (except when I had to read the advice cards) and it kept it stress free for me. I was able to enjoy myself the entire time.

Before

After hair trial

After hair and make-up trial

 

 



Part of my new family. Aunt Dee, Cassy, Me, Amber, Lorie and Kara.

Recipes. I think they're trying to tell me something...

 

Advice for the bride. I had to read these out loud. Some got pretty nasty...

 

Candy bar.

Me, as a child.

Patrick, as a child.