Goodness, Gracious, Great Balls of Fire!

It's been a MONTH since my last post. Well, I'll be a monkey's uncle (ok, not really, but you know what I mean!).

Life has been crazy, so I'm sorry for not having updated.

First off--I started with a Personal Trainer. Let me tell you, I fully believe this is one of the best decisions I have made. I have had only had 3 sessions so far (it would have been 4, but my first session was on the day of the CRAZY east coast earthquake and was therefore cancelled), BUT I can tell you my trainer has pushed me so much further than I would have ever pushed myself. I used to give up after 20 minutes on the treadmill, doing 3.0 mph and a 3.0 grade for 15-20 minutes. I am now semi-easily doing 3.2 mph at a 4.0 grade for 20 minutes....and that's just the warm-up!

I've lost only a couple pounds so far, but I've gained confidence and muscle. It's relatively expensive, but I figure if I make the investment in myself now...in 20-30 years I won't be having to shell out oodles more money to doctors for health bills.

The only downside (aside from the expense) is the overwhelming nausea I get from it. The first training day, I had a protein shake for breakfast and then went to work out. I didn't want to go work out on an empty stomach and I have heard that you should eat protein before working out. Anyway, by the end of the workout, I went to the bathroom and hurled it all up. Won't be doing that again.

2nd training session was in the afternoon, so I decided to have a handful of almonds ~1 hour before working out. Still left feeling nauseous. But I only had 2 water breaks, so I chalked it up to not having enough water.

Yesterday, I took more water breaks, but no snack beforehand. We had to quit 5 minutes early.

I've been told that because of my thyroid issues it's going to take my body a little longer to adapt to such an intense exercise routine. I'm hoping next week everything settles down.

But on a positive note, my trainer said she can definitely see an improvement already. We're increasing weights on weight training already, and starting next week instead of walking on the treadmill, we're going to start to jog! w00t, w00t!!

This afternoon I made tabouleh. It is currently chilling in the fridge. I can't wait to take it out in an hour and go to town on it. It's sooooooo yummy (and healthy)!

Happy labor day weekend!

Meg

Date Night

My boyfriend and I are trying to eat healthier and exercise more.

We're still in an early phase where we eat out ALL the time. I don't mind that--I don't know how to cook for 2 people (let alone ONE). I came from a family of 6, so don't expect me to make food for less than 8 (yeah, that statement is probably correct). But eating out all the time has its drawbacks, too.

Anyway, point is, I'd like to find healthy options. "Why don't you just have a salad" you say? Mostly, I find salads to be lackluster, or really, when it's all said and done, it all tastes the same to me. Nothing is "entertaining" about a salad to me.

Actually come to think about it, I really find all food to be lacking in the entertainment department.

I had an amazing opportunity a couple of weeks ago to eat in Chinatown in San Francisco. I know it was an authentic restaurant because 1/2 the people in there eater were chinese....and it took a good 30 minutes for us to get our meal, so it couldn't have come straight from a bag. Can't get much more authentic than that. The person I was with exclaimed, "Isn't this GREAT!? It's probably the best Chinese food I've ever had!" To me it tasted like the chinese food I can get down the street from my apartment.

I hear all the time from fitness gurus that I should slow down when I eat, enjoy my food. But what if I sincerely just cannot find the joy in anything I eat?

I digress. My original point of this blog was to ask, what in the heck do I eat when my boyfriend and I go on a date and I'm not a fan of salads?

Meg

Sore! but in a good way

Day 5 of pull-ups and my abs are KILLING me. But wait...shouldn't my arms be sore?

Well, to be honest, my arms ARE sore, too. Just not as badly as my core. When I've been doing my reps, I've been focusing on tightening my core, too. And as a result, my core and legs seem to be getting just as good of a workout as my core.

Today I had allllll intentions of going to 11:30am yoga at work. I brought my clothes and everything. And then at 11am, I get this massive headache and feel like I'm going to puke.

I really feel lately that my body just hates me. It's rebelling. I've been seeing my chiropractor about twice a week for the past 2 weeks because my neck is so tight that I'm getting headaches. We also discovered that the muscles in my jaw is particularly tight. We're not sure which came first, the jaw issues or the neck issue, but they're feeding off each other. A massage on Monday night helped alleviate the pain quite a bit.

Anyway, back to today's headache. I had a sneaky suspicion that the headache was caused by one of two things: 1) hunger...I hadn't had a solid meal in almost 24 hours or 2) lack of caffeine. My coworkers generally go to Subway on Fridays, so I opted to eat rather than go to yoga. After about 10 minutes of eating 3/4 of a footlong and a Dr. Pepper, I felt sooooo much better.

I thought all was right with the world (and my body) and then my body rebelled and wanted to expel what I had eaten...

This weekend is probably going to be pretty busy (or tomorrow will be anyway), so my plan is to get up early and either go for a run, or do SOMETHING to work out before I start my day. That was my plan today, too, but it didn't go so well. 4:30am always comes sooooo soon.

Stay tuned for another blog about eating out!

Meg

Annnnd, I'm back!

2 month hiatus. Sorry!

My brother is engaged. Super exciting, right! Yup! His wedding date was supposed to be June of next year. Great! I can have an entire year to lose all the weight I want/need to look foxy in my bridesmaid dress.

And then...they decided to move up the date to December 10th. I'm in a tizzy! My timeline of dropping weight was halved.

Last Sunday, I decided to buy the Iron Gym's Total Upper Body Workout Bar. I've wanted one for about 6 months now but either didn't have the money or when I did have the money, couldn't find one. Target had one on Sunday so I jumped on picking one up.

It is SOOO much more of a workout than I was anticipating! Not only am I working my arms, but my core is definitely getting a workout from having to support me, as are my legs. I'm short, so I'm actually having to use a step up stool to help a little bit. But I can already tell my body is getting stronger!

Anyway, sorry I've abandoned the blog for a bit. I hope to make it a habit to blog again. :)

Meg

I really need a pedometer...

Today I spent the entire day walking around the streets of Baltimore and the grounds of Ft McHenry. And now I wonder how far I actually walked.

I've had pedometers in the past. But because of where my pants line sits, the pedometer always jabs into my skin and it hurts like something ridiculous. I'd put it on my pocket, but I've been told that that can yield inaccurate results.

I've heard that a Fitbit is the way to go. If only I could afford it now. I know it's reasonable compared to some, but it's still quite a bit.

Do you use a pedometer? If so, what do you use? Is it reasonably priced? Or do you guestimate your distance walked/run?

Hope you're enjoying your weekend!

Meggie

Winning

This week's weightloss: 2.5lbs.

Right on target! I was kinda concerned because at one point it had been 5lbs (I weigh myself daily) for the week, and I know that is not healthy.

Today I got a little off track. Poor planning left me breakfastless at work. So I went downstairs to the cafeteria (I was sooooooo hungry). The first thing I see laid out at the breakfast bar is donuts and pastries. And almost as an afterthought, they have some fruit on the side. And instead of choosing the healthy option, I go for the first thing I see: A glazed, fried donut.

By the time lunchtime came around, I was so busy, I felt guilty for having to even stand around at the microwave waiting for my Smart Ones flat bread to cook. Again with the lack of planning today, at 3pm, I was so stressed out and still hungry, so I went with the "Hungry? Why Wait?" slogan and grabbed a Snickers.

I had softball tonight, and was in charge of the beer cooler. I had a Yeunling, but only 1. I was very conscious of the empty calories. And then I got home and dinner was finishing off the homemade tabouleh I made for Memorial Day. I am considering making more tomorrow because it was so dang good. That, and I have 3 massive (MASSIVE) tomatoes my boyfriend bought me.

But I digress. This is hard. I'm not gonna lie. But I know I can do it. And 2.5 lbs is nothing to balk at. :)

What's your reason to celebrate today?

Meg

Splish Splash!

Small milestones are still milestones no matter how small, right?

So you know the song "Splish Splash" by Bobby Darin? If not, take a listen:

The lyric I'm thinking of now is "I wrapped a towel around me and I opened the door."

Why?

Well, as I said, a milestone is a milestone, no matter how big or small. Tonight, I was able to wrap a towel completely around me. To the point I could almost be like those people you see on tv that wrap a towel around them and can let go without the towel falling.

Best. Feeling. Ever.

And that is all.

Meg

Craving me some Sonic

Being originally from Oklahoma, naturally, I grew up on Sonic (America's Drive-in). Actually, I wasn't introduced to Sonic until I was 16, but from that age forward, I have had a love affair with Rt44 Cherry Limeades.

Living just outside of Washington DC, there are NO Sonic's...anywhere. The closest one is a good 30 miles from where I live.

So, I got the brilliant idea to create my own (HEALTHIER!) version of my favorite Sonic drink.

Because my local grocery store doesn't carry any flavor of cherry Crystal light, wild strawberry limeade will have to do.

What you need:

Sprite Zero

Wild Strawberry Crystal Light

Lime Juice (or juice from an actual lime)

I have yet to actually try this, but it sounds promising. I'll let you know this evening when I give it a whirl.

Meg

Fear Factor and BBQ

Life has been good the past couple of days. I've been adhearing to Weight Watchers really well. I will say, one of the biggest issues I'm having is having an almost fear of eating. "Don't want to use up all those points or go over!" I tell myself.

But really isn't the fear of food just as bad as the gorging of food?

I guess I just have food issues (ha, what a concept! What a realization!).

But how does one find a harmony between love for the taste and feelings associated with food and the need for weight loss?

Any ideas on healthy BBQing this Memorial Day Weekend?

In other news, I can now fit into my 16 jeans again! And yesterday I (barely) survived a full hour of Yoga with the most intense instructor at my gym.

Have a happy, safe, and healthy Memorial day!

Meggie

Oral Challenge

No, I'm not talking about the dental care products you know and (some) love.

Today was the first day I really got back on Weight Watchers. This morning was easy. But come this afternoon and evening, I am having THE toughest time not snacking. Or eating sugar. Not having a pop today (yes, I said Pop...all of you easterners, southerners, etc, laugh if you must) has driven me nearly bonkers.

I feel like I need something in my mouth. This afternoon I chewed gum for hours, but it did little to no help.

Does ANYONE have any suggestions on how to kick this oral problem?

Meg

Who Says?

Short, sweet and to the point.

Watch. Listen. Really listen.

Enjoy.

Meg

I'm Back in the Saddle Again

After a couple of months hiatus, I am back in the saddle again. Why now? Whelp, a couple of reasons.

1) Why not?

2) Last week I went to my sister's high school graduation and I gained 4 lbs from eating all the delicious sweets, foods, and copious amounts of mountain dew (so that I could keep awake on the road while driving and party like it was 1999 with my family). Yeah, I've never been so disappointed in myself for seeing the weight creep back on.

3) Today I had a 5k arthritis foundation walk and I could only finish the 3k. I've learned that part of fighting arthritis is losing weight.

4) I no longer fit into my size 16 jeans anymore. 18's are still too big (thank heavens), but I want to fit into not only 16s, but 14s, 12s and hopefully someday 8s.

5) Seeing all my faves tweet/fb about #fitbloggin and seeing what fun they're having is actually inspiration.

6) My chiropractor suggested I lose weight to help with my back issues (PS, Chirpractor=Best.Thing.Ever.)

Ok, so that's more than just a couple of reasons. But, that just means there's more incentive to lose weight than not.

So please help me stay on the saddle and not let a bucking horse try to kick me off.

How do YOU stay on track?

Meg

Crazy for Chobani?

After being a part of a #weightwatchers tweet chat a couple weeks ago that talked extensively about Chobani Greek Yogurt, I decided to give it a whirl.

I want to preface this blog by saying, I went into this super excited about trying Chobani because of all the rave reviews I'd read on the chat.

The first thing I noticed was the price. Granted, I picked it up at my local grocery store, which is notoriously more expensive than if I had gone to a national chain like Target or Wal-mart. But $1.25 for one container of yogurt seemed a bit expensive. Particularly when I can get another brand of yogurt (albeit, non-greek) for nearly 1/3 the price for the same quantity.

As far as taste is concerned, the Lemon flavor tasted great! The only downside was that it was pretty chunky and I personally am not a fan of chunky anything. I don't know if the chunkiness was due to the lemon, or if that's how greek yogurt is (this is my first experience with greek yogurt, too).

Comparing nutrition facts to my other favorite lemon yogurt, Chobani has 10mg less sodium than the other, the same amount of carbs, and actually 3g MORE sugar. There is more than double the protein, which is good because that means it's a good snack to have when I'm having a morning or afternoon hunger attack. Chobani's Lemon flavor also lacks the vitamins that the other name brand has (Vitamin A, D, Phosphorous), and doesn't match or beat the amount of Calcium (15% Chobani vs. 20% other brand).

I have 2 more flavors in my fridge to try...and I haven't looked at the nutrition facts for them, but I'm assuming it's about the same comparison.

But, I'm curious--why all the buzz about Chobani? Because of the protein factor? Does that outweigh everything else I mentioned above? Or am I missing something? If I can get used to the texture, and if I could get some sound reasoning as to why it's better than the other yogurt, I might be swayed to cough up the extra cash for it.

I look forward to your feedback,

Meg

It's been a long time gone

Sorry it's been so long! It's been a very long two weeks.

My grandfather passed away on his 93rd birthday (March 6th), so the following week saw me flying to Omaha, NE and then driving 4 hours to where my grandparents live(d)--Omaha/Minneapolis are 2 of the closest airports, Sioux Falls, SD is actually a little closer, but only by 2 hours. Enough with the details though.

My eating habits have been atrocious to say the least. My grandma lives in an apartment, so that left the Smith family to stay in a hotel. And what comes with a hotel? No food. There was a continental breakfast, but aside from that, we were on our own.

So....bad eating habits ensued. I tried my hardest to eat from the veggie tray, but most of what my family had was everything from Pizza to A&W to McDonalds to KFC (my grandfather's favorite) to a really *interesting* Mexican Restaurant to Village Inn. That coupled with the fact that there was 5" of snow on the ground, so I couldn't go for a walk or run--Last week was not my week.

This week, has been a little bit better. I've lost about half the weight I packed on last week. I joined a thing at my office gym that they give you a 30 minute circuit to do (either strength, flexibility, or endurance, or a combination of strength/endurance). You have to do it twice a week in order to be eligible for a prize at the end of the 10 week program. I did my first set of circuits on Thursday, and then my second set yesterday. My thighs are SORE today. Of course, it could also be because after I did my circuits yesterday, I jumped in my car and went on a 2.7 mile walk with my friends a few miles from their house. They call it 'the hills' for good reason. 3 very steep hills. I definitely got a GOOD sweat going. It felt AMAZING.

I need to start training for my 5k walk in May. Care to join me? Care to make a donation?

The Team Link: http://annapolisarthritiswalk.kintera.org/hiptobesquare

My page: http://annapolisarthritiswalk.kintera.org/meggers08

Yours in health,

Meg

Take those feelings and shove it!

My diet this week has been TERRIBLE. And I mean diet in the sense of what I've been eating. I fully realize that what I'm attempting to do is a lifestyle change, but in the holistic sense of the word, my diet has been terrible.

I will say, this week started well. I had 2 days where I ate salads, I was being mindful of what was being eaten, what the portions were, etc. Tuesday evening began my downfall. Wednesday found me pigging out. Thursday was ok. Lunch consisted of a lean pocket and yogurt. Dinner was the rest of the bag of twizzlers. Nothing more, nothing less. And today all I wanted to do was just stuff my face. Human garbage disposal. Eat, eat, eat, eat, eat. Sugar, sugar, sugar, sugar, sugar. 1 bottle of water.

And even as I'm ordering what I'm ordering, I'm thinking, "this sounds disgusting. I don't want this food." And yet, I still eat it.

This week has been an emotional roller coaster for me, too. My grandfather is not doing well (prayers for him, please). And Thursday, I gave a speech in a contest about my experiences with a tragedy. And there's this whole other thing called work and working in DC and all the drama that's going on with that lately....I'm going to become a gray-haired woman before I'm 26!

So many emotions come what's going on in my life right now--am I trying to stuff them away with food? Or am I using food as a comforting agent to make me feel better after stress? And if that's the case, how do I fix it?

I'd say, dive right in to exercise. Except, right now my knees are screwed up (found out today at Physical Therapy that they think one of my tendons is messed up, which would explain the pain...not a lot there can be done about that except for Rest Ice Compression and Elevation), and I'm already doing as much as I can, working out 5-6 days/week--which probably explains the weight loss I'm seeing on the scale and miraculously no weight gain...yet.

Any suggestions on how to not take those feelings and shove 'em? How do you deal with cravings and overeating?

10 Things I'm excited about

This week has been amazing, workout-wise. That being said, I figured I ought to share my top 10 things I'm excited about with exercising (not David Letterman style).

1) I can see a visible change in my body. This week I gained about 4lbs. BUT, I lost 7.75" throughout my body.

2) I can see my clavicles without flexing!

3) I have more stamina when working out. Frequently workouts last 45 minutes to an hour with no problem.

4) I can BREATHE. I know this sounds funny, but seriously...I can take a deep breath and enjoy it.

5) Greasy foods just sound/look gross. I want to eat healthier because I feel healthier.

6) My clothes fit better and are, in some cases, loose! I need to go pants shopping when I save up enough money.

7) People are noticing. I've been getting compliments lately on me looking good. Which gives me more encouragement to work harder!

8) I sleep better at night. Don't know if it's because I can breathe better, or because my body is just tired from exercising. But I go to sleep and don't move all night long (which is how it's supposed to be)!

9) I'm actually starting to get definition in my stomach and legs. I'm working on a two-pack, and my legs are super strong.

10) I feel better about myself and how people see me. I'm becoming more comfortable in my own body. More confident. It's amazing what diet and exercise can do.

What are some things you are excited about?

Meg

#wwchat

So....I totally missed #wwchat tonight! I'm totally bummed. And it's not like I have an excuse other than I forgot! I decided to re-post the questions and answer them. Use them as a sounding board of sorts.

Q1: Question 1 What do you use to measure your food portions and stay on track?

A1: I do a couple of things. I actually physically count out serving sizes. So, if a serving size is 7 crackers, I will literally count out 7 crackers. And to thwart me wanting to go back for seconds or to cheat, I will actually separate serving sizes into baggies to avoid temptation.

I don't cook a lot of meat, but I do own a food scale and use it when necessary.

Q2: How do you stay on track with measuring and tracking when on the run and or out to eat?

I find planning ahead the easiest. It's really easy to grab one of those baggies mentioned above on the way out the door. I also buy single servings of things (since I'm a single gal--it's just easier that way). Eating out is very tricky. Most of the time I use eating out as a cheat meal. I try to stop when I'm full. And I try to make sure I have leftovers. Easier on the pocketbook and easier on the diet!

Q3: to stay portion controlled, how do you prepare ahead of time for the week?!

It's all luck. Haha, no just kidding...sorta. Again with the baggies. And I also do couponing/grocery shopping on the weekends for the week ahead. Because I shop at the grocery store, I'm able to get healthy options and for cheap!

Q4: what ways can you bounce back from eating poorly and eating out of portion control ?!

Carpe Diem. Every day is a new day. So if I eat poorly one day, I start fresh the next!

My brag for the week is that a) I lost 3.5 lbs this week. And today I ran for the first time in 7 months. I gotta say, my lungs are up to the challenge and it was WONDERFUL! The only downside was that about 9 minutes in (30 seconds run, 90 seconds walk), my arches started to burn really bad. I still made it to 30 minutes though!

Looking forward to tomorrow's workout!

Meg

A Glutton for Gluten and Measurements

I love pasta. And bread. And lots of pasta and bread. I do. If I could eat pasta or bread 3 times a day, I probably would. These things are good only in moderation, and really, if you're trying to lose weight or be any sort of health conscious, you should probably eat wheat pasta/bread and only in moderation.

But what about the gluten? According to the ever-famous wikipedia (that we all know is never wrong and is the instant go-to source for information *please read that as sarchastic*), gluten is found in wheat, rye and barley...it helps dough rise and keep shape.

The article talks about what I want to talk about tonight: Gluten sensitivity. What's the big deal? People, I guess, can be allergic to gluten. As far as I know, there isn't any test that can prove the sensitivity. Trial and error, I guess.

I've been reading up on it a little bit, and I think I'm going to give it a whirl. It can't hurt, right?

PS, I picked up a box of gluten free breakfast bars at an organic store. Honestly, they tasted pretty good. Maybe this'll be good after all.

Today I decided that I would make some spaghetti squash. First, let me say, a 4 pound spaghetti squash could feed probably 8 people. I didn't quite realize that when I bought it. So, I now have lunch and dinner for the next several days, haha.

I also decided to hit the gym this afternoon. I was able to do 2.5 miles in 45 minutes. 35 of those minutes were at 3.5mph. I am honestly impressed with myself. Not only because I was able to do 2.5 miles of walking in 45 minutes, but because up until today, I have NEVER been able to walk at 3.5mph, without having to actually jog and get out of breath. 3.0mph had been a stretch at some points. I'd be out of breath and physically in pain with calves burning at 3.5mph. Today I was able to walk and wasn't out of breath. So no matter what the scale says, I know that I'm healthier than I was even a month ago.

So, given that, I decided to take measurements tonight of everything from my neck, to my arms, to my calves and ankles (and everything in between). That's a true realization as to how unhealthy I truly am. But it's also motivation to keep on keepin on!

Annnd, this has been pretty long, so....yeah.

Night!

Meg

I registered for my very first 5K today!

I figured I'd like to find a local chapter of the Arthritis Foundation since I am now trying to figure out what it means to have Osteoarthritis. Several friends of mine do 5k's or fun runs or whathaveyou to help raise money for good causes. So I thought--hey, I'm trying to lose weight--I have Osteoarthritis--I'm free on Saturday mornings...let's do a 5k for the Arthritis Foundation.

So that is what I'm doing. Feel free to join the team, or to make a donation! It's May 21st in Annapolis, MD

I'm going to start training tomorrow. :)

What is your favorite way to train (for a race, for fun, in pursuit of a goal, etc)?

Happy weekend!

Meg

I miss running

As you know, my knees are messed up. A couple of weeks ago, I was diagnosed with OsteoArthritis.

I found out at Physical Therapy, I'm flat footed.

Which means....any time I do anything on my feet, the shock absorption goes from my feet into my knees, into my hips and eventually, into my lower back. Yeah....no bueno.

Along with PT (which has been good, and yet...surprisingly, my knees hurt MORE now that I'm strengthening my thighs with PT), I was prescribed injections. No, not injections like steroids or cortisone...they make injections out of the comb of a rooster...

Kinda, sorta, really gross to imagine. But aside from feeling like there's fluid on my knee and being a bit tender, I think it might just work. We'll see. I still have 4 more injections in the right knee to go (1 per week)--and then I have 5 injections on the left knee. Whoopdeedoo...

The long and short of this all is--I miss (and I mean MISS) running. I want to go for a run so bad. I miss the feeling of my lungs feeling exhausted. I miss my calves being skinny. I miss getting my stress out from the days' work being able to think "you think I can't do ? Well, I'm going to PROVE.YOU.WRONG. And how am I going to prove you wrong? By running as far and as hard as I can."

I need to find me a good pair of shoes and find some orthotics for flat-footed people.

I miss doing jazzercise. It's a really fun class, but seriously, it kills my knees. Even the low-impact version.

I think I need to get into swimming again, although I don't feel like I get a great workout from it like I do with running (maybe because you can't feel a good sweat if you're actually IN water?).

Le sigh. I need to get to my knee stretches/exercises before heading to bed. But to end on a positive note, last week I lost ~2.5 lbs. This week I lost nothing, but I didn't gain anything either, so for that, I'm grateful!

Meg

It's been a week? Really?

Where has the time gone?

Anyway, I've been kinda taking it easy this week. Which is bad in some respects, yet good in others

Almost 8 years ago now, I had surgery on my right knee. I'll spare you the details, haha. Over the last year, I've been having pain in my right knee again. Not a tremendous amount of pain, but I can hear and feel my knee click doing regular walking up and down the hallway, and it's not fun to go up OR down stairs--which is fun when you live in an apartment on the 3rd floor, lemme tell you. Doing walking or running, or even the elliptical swells my knee to the size of a grapefruit.

But I digress. I told my mom over Christmas that it wouldn't surprise me if I need knee surgery again. She emailed me a couple of weeks ago that I should get it taken care of sooner rather than later because of my dad moving to Ireland soon and her needing to look after my sister while he's gone (she'd come out to help take care of me if/when I have surgery). I went to my GP on Tuesday for a totally un-related issue and decided to ask for a referral to go see an orthopedist. She not only gave me a referral, but also gave me orders to have an MRI on my knee.

Today was the MRI. The technician asked if I had any pain on the inside or outside of my knee. I was about to say no pain, and then she stroked the inside of my knee lightly and I almost went through the roof. I didn't realize the inside of my knee hurt.

I go to the orthopedist in 2 weeks. I want to keep exercising, but I think I may just have to do upper body until I hear what the dr. says.

I was given my films from the MRI. Looks pretty interesting. I wish I could interpret them, or knew someone that could. I guess I'll have to wait the 2 weeks to find out anything. Bummer.

On another health note, I've been drinking water like it's going out of style. Some days I've actually hit drinking 1 gallon. That's a lot of water! But instead of dropping weight, I've actually GAINED. That doesn't make any sense to me whatsoever. I've also been watching what I'm eating, so again--makes no sense. Grrr...

Off to enjoy a veggie delite sandwich from subway!

Megs

Jazzing it up at Jazzercise

I don't think I have EVER sweat so much in my entire life. Jazzercise was great!

There were only 6 of us in the class tonight. It was my first time to try a jazzercise class, so I didn't know what to expect. I was pleasantly surprised at how fun it was.

I'd equate the class to a series of hip hop dance routines. I love dancing, so this was a pleasant way to get my exercise in for the day.

The best part was that I sweat, and sweat hard. My lungs feel so clear. Good stuff!

What's your favorite way to exercise?

Meg

I feel good, dodadodadodadoooo!

And I knew that I would! haha

Day 5 today. I decided to do 30 minutes of the eliptical. I have a gym membership at work, so I decided to go there to work out. My friend who I work with was exercising with me, so afterwords we went into a side room to stretch, and then to go see the new group exercise room when a gal asked us if we were coming in for the Stretch and Strength course that was getting ready to begin. We both said no, that we were just looking at the new facility. The gal convinced me to stay.

So instead of 30 minutes, I got 90 minutes. And boy, was that extra hour a KILLER! Despite the moves being easy (Mostly yoga and pilates moves), by the end I was hurtin. The last 5 minutes are where you just lay there, relaxing. The lady had the class do a relaxation exercise where you tighten certain muscles for 5 seconds and then release. I tried to do that, but as soon as I did, my calves got charlie horses. Guess I need to eat a banana!

Speaking of food, I am CRAVING the carbs. Seriously. Give me pasta. Lots of pasta. Or a Veggie Delight Subway Sandwich. That sounds amazing. Hopefully the lunch crew will vote for subway for tomorrow so I can get my Veggie Delight fix. :-) Any advice on how to cut the carb cravings?

Tomorrow, jazzercise!

Meg

Day 4 of 100

Lots and LOTS of water, I've been drinking. Mostly with Crystal Light. I find that's the only way I can really get my water intake in. Today I think I've had the equivalent of 6 bottles of water, which is about half my weight. Yikes. But I've been told I'm supposed to drink my entire weight in water. What does that mean? Say I weighed 220 lbs (I don't, but let's say I did), the logic is to drink 220 oz. of water. That's a LOT of water.

Today I did the elliptical for 10 minutes, treadmill for 12.5, and 7.5 of weights to get in my 30 minutes.

It's only been a couple of days that I've been drinking so much water, but I can already tell a difference in the shape of my face. It's much thinner. I can feel my nose and my cheekbones without feeling fat first.

Tomorrow I think is going to be another round of elliptical and treadmill. Friday is jazzercise. Yes, that's right. Jazzercise. I have a friend that goes and I was able to get a deal where I can visit 10 times for only $20. I'm anxious to try it.

Whelp, I need to get to sleep.

I can do this.

Megs

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year to all!

New Years is usually a time to set new goals. Normally at this time I'd be setting a goal to lose 100 lbs. This time, if I actually lose 100lbs, I'd actually be too thin to be considered healthy. So I guess last year was a somewhat successful!

July 2009

October 2010

Still have a long ways to go though. So my goal this year is to be healthy. I'm enjoying eating tons of fruit and veggies. I think I'm obsessed with Pineapple. I can't seem to eat enough of it. Only unfortunate thing is that my throat swells a bit when I eat it--hope I'm not allergic because seriously, pineapple is amazing. Watermelon is pretty awesome, too.

Today was my day 2 of 100 days of fitness. My goal was to exercise 30 minutes. I actually did ~20 min worth of weights and ~20 of the elliptical. So I beat my goal and did 40 minutes! w00t!

I miss running. A lot. I need to find my knee brace so I can try to get back into it. My right knee clicks and hurts to do stairs, so if it gets much worse I think I'll have to go see an orthopedist. ugh.

I'm constantly afraid to go running in front of people at the gym, too. Let's face it, I'm not a skinny minny who can run with grace on a treadmill. But I constantly remind myself you can't become a skinny minny if you don't try. I think that's why a lot of people quit going the gym in february. They're all gung-ho to work out in January, and then they get nervous seeing all these skinny minnies running and such. I feel like we don't see the bigger picture tho. Not all skinny minnies started out as skinny minnies. It takes work--hard work--to get there. But we CAN do it.

I can do it. I know I can. I know I will. :)

Today's workout mix:

1. Firework - Katy Perry
2. Grenade - Bruno Mars
3. Forget You - Glee Cast (Gwenneth Paltrow)
4. Dog Days are Over - Glee Cast

Happy New Year,

Megs