Stylish Blogger Award

Sarah tagged me for the Stylish Blogger Award.  YAY!  I love learning about people and their journeys through their blogs. 

Here are the Rules for the Stylish Award:

• Make this a post and link back to the person who gave the award to you
• Share 7 things about yourself
• Award 5 great bloggers
• Contact the bloggers and tell them they've won!

So, here goes... 

1. I have had the same best friend since diapers.  I met Margaret she was about 6 months old and I was about a year and a half.  We went to the same babysitters, through elementary/middle/high school, worked at the same seafood restaurant, etc. Although we are very different from one another, we are best of friends.
2. I was a band geek.  I marched in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in 1995.  It was an awesome experience.
3. I am named for my Dad's sister.  My middle name was Emily-Marie before I got married (Yes, a hyphenated middle name and that means that I went through childhood with 4 names).  My Daddy chose that as my middle name because it was his sister's name.  His sister was born with severe medical issues and was confined to home; my Dad played a significant part in her care.  While my Dad was serving in Vietnam, she passed away.  Oddly enough, I was born on the same day that she passed away, 13 years later.  I will always have a special love for the aunt I never met.
4. I love, love, love the beach and warm.  When circumstances change with my employment or finances, you will definitely find me living by a beach.
5. I love Disney.  I went to Walt Disney World the first time when I was 26 years old.  I wasn't convinced before we went that I would like it (I tend to be too serious and don't love crowds).  Well, my hubs was right - I loved it.  We're taking a Disney cruise and spending 4 nights at the Polynesian Resort for our 5th wedding anniversary in May!  I am planning to run the Disney Princess Half next February (that is what started this whole running thing).
6. Cheerwine and "quarter cakes" are my weakness.  As a child, every time we passed the TeePee (gas station/convenience store) it seemed like we stopped.  We could go in and get a Cheerwine and a quarter cake (aka Little Debbie Cake).  My favorites are the Fudge Round, Star Crunch, and Swiss Cake Rolls.  I honestly can't tell you the last time I had one, but I don't really miss them.  Thank goodness Cheerwine comes in diet!  It is so good! 
7. I want to be crafty.  I try desperately but haven't found the right thing for me.

Now it is my chance to award several others!

• Jim at 50 After 40:  I love reading his blog!  He is so incredibly encouraging!
• Shelby at Eat, Drink, Run:  I stumbled upon her blog a few months ago.  I love reading it and she lives in the same city as me!
• Debbie at Weigh Down:  She's a fellow WW'er.  I think it is cool that she takes pictures of her journal every day.  I have used her blog to get myself out of a food rut a few times.
• Lisa at 110 Pounds and Counting:  Her blog was one of the first that I started following.  She reminds me daily what this is all about.
• I have no idea who else to tag.  I love reading blogs!

Thursday awesomeness

This week has been awesome, but today has been most especially awesome and wonderful.  Several things:

• A coworker/friend at work took a new picture of me for our office directory, etc.  It turned out great!  I actually liked the picture she took and I don't normally like pictures of me.
• I worked a half day in the office today, then went to the School of Government at UNC-Chapel Hill for a meeting.  Since I am going out of town tomorrow, my boss said I could "work from home" tomorrow.  Not sure how much I will actually get done considering that I am going to the gym and lunch with a friend, but it is a nice change of pace.
• Had the most delicious veggie wrap from Elmo's Diner for lunch at my meeting.  I have enjoyed breakfast/brunch at Elmo's a few times, but this wrap beat those meals hands down.
• Decided to go to the mall after my meeting and try on pants...  Tried on, fit into, and purchased pants that are 2 sizes smaller than what I had been wearing!
• Went for the normal Thursday evening run with Sarah.  Since I am going out of town this weekend, we were going to go ahead and do our "long" run this evening.  We did 6.2 miles, on a Thursday, in February!  I am still amazed at how well we are doing!
• Awesome Meredith College GNO (girls night out) at Sono in downtown Raleigh!  Charity and I shared a bowl of edamame and I had a shrimp yaki-soba - so flavorful!

I am not sure if the day could have been better!  Tomorrow morning, I am going to get up at regular time, hit the gym, have lunch with a friend, then pick the hubs up at work to head to Beaufort for the weekend. 

Looking forward to a great weekend!

Three workouts in two days?!?

Seriously?  Huh?  Did I really just do three workouts in two days?  I have been in a little bit of a funk for a few weeks.  I have been absolutely mommicked the past week or two.  I don't know if it is weight loss, work, weather, or just a funk.

Quick aside....  Don't know what mommicked means?  It is a saying that is used most often in the down east area.  When I say "down east" I mean the small communities east of Beaufort, NC when driving on Highway 70 (Harkers Island, Smyrna, Williston, Davis, Atlantic, Cedar Island, etc.) not Rocky Mount/Kinston/etc. as the newspeople seem to label it. Mommicked basically means that you are frazzled, worn out, messed up.  Don't be surprised to hear "My lord honey ain't I be a mommicked this night..." when travelling to the area where I grew up.  Anyway, I digress...

Yesterday afternoon, the rain started around 3:30.  Sarah and I always run on Monday.  I definitely needed my run yesterday.  When Sarah called to see if we were still running, I told her that it wasn't raining that bad.  I don't know that she was that happy about it, but the run turned out well.  It wasn't that rainy and it was as therapeutic as it always.

This morning, I went to Weight Watchers to weigh.  I was feeling stressed before I went (and was not very nice to the hubs before I left home).  When I stepped on the scale, the person weighing me told me that I lost 4.6 pounds.  I missed last week, but 4.6 pounds in 2 weeks is more than great!  I have reached my 5% goal and look forward to keeping on.

Going to Weight Watchers lifted my spirits a little more and I wasn't feeling quite as mommicked anymore.  A group of coworkers go over to a gym around the corner from our office on Tuesday and Thursday for a group fitness class.  Our organization's Wellness Committee pays for the group workouts the committee encourages staff to go.  I have been too intimidated to go in the past, but took a shot at it today.  All I can saw is "Wow".  It was a great workout, with some great coworkers, and just what I needed.

I finished up my third workout in 2 days by going to my normal Tuesday personal training appointment.  I told my trainer about the lunch time workout and we modified things a little, but he didn't really take it easy on me at all. 

I am so grateful that I am able to really feel better about my lifestyle change.  The process to make the change clicked a while back, but now everything about changing my lifestyle seems to be clicking.  Here's to many more good days ahead!

Weekend in review

I love reliving the weekend via a catch up post!  It makes getting through Monday that much easier.

Friday:

• Did walking workout with folks from work during lunch.  We have exercise classes scheduled (usually) two days at week at a local gym for staff members that wish to participate.  Most Fridays someone will put a walking video on.  It was nice to get in a bit of exercise in the middle of the day.
• Dinner after work with the hubs at Milton's.  I wanted to order pizza so badly, but in the end I decided to Pasta Primavera with Shrimp.  I was totally satisfied and ate less than half!

Saturday:

• I was supposed to get up and do a 5-miler.  When I woke up and heard the rain, I went right back under the covers.  (Kudos to my friends that did the Krispy Kreme Challenge in the rain!)
• Hubs and I met up with my college roomie, Charity, for lunch at Village Deli followed by some shopping at Fleet Feet.  Charity got some new shoes and socks so she can start training for her first 5K.  I got a sweet hot pink sport skirt off the clearance rack.
• Ran a couple errands and went grocery shopping
• The rain cleared up in the afternoon and I knew I needed to get my miles in.  I set my Garmin for (15) 3:30/1 intervals and finished 5.75 miles on the greenway.  I had a totally new experience while running and I haven't decided if I will blog about it or not, it might be too much information.
• Cooked a near-gourmet dinner at home - filet (tuna steak for the hubs) with roasted asparagus and Parmesan orzo

Sunday:

• Stayed in bed way later than I planned
• Fixed a breakfast casserole and got the chili in the crock pot
• Went for a 6.4 mile walk with Charity
• Fixed "crack dip" for pre-game festivities
• Had some great friends over to watch the Packers win the Super Bowl (although, I find the commercials much more interesting than the actual game)

It was a great weekend!  Even though the weekends are short, writing and reading about the weekend later in the week makes me happy!

McFatty Monday - week 4

I triple puffy-heart love Blair (that's totally something she would say) from The Heir To Blair.  Not to mention that I am beyond excited about our lunch plans this week!

So, anyway, Blair asked some interesting questions regarding weight loss in her McFatty Monday post for this week:

Are you afraid of anything with weight loss?  With success?With shedding old habits?  What do you think causes that fear?

Yes, I am afraid of a lot of things with weight loss.  Most of it revolves around the thought that I may fail.  I have been on every diet possible and I have honestly never stuck with it.  In the past, I have always had the best of intentions, with very little follow through.  That's a lot of pressure on me this go-round.  But, I feel like this time is totally different:

• I made the choice myself (no one told me to lose weight, my doctor wasn't pressuring me, etc.). 
• I found an outdoor activity that I love (running) and I have stuck with it since July, including working through an injury. 
• I have worked hard to set long-term goals for myself (at least one race per month, half marathon in May, and a fitness "bucket list")
• I am moving out of my comfort zone with food.  I am willing to try different combinations of food, new fruits and vegetables, etc.
• I am making dates with friends to do fitness related activities, versus immediately suggesting dinner.  My college roommate and I get together on Sunday to walk.  In the past, we could have just as easily scheduled lunch or dinner out. 
• I am keeping a positive attitude.  It doesn't matter if the scale is moving down, so long as I feel good about how I did with eating and exercise.  If I didn't do well in a week, I evaluate and move on.

Running = meditation

I look at running as meditation.  It allows me to decompress, download, and get rid of a lot of negative stuff.  That's my secret.  I go inside myself.  --  Jeff Corwin, American animal and nature conservationist

This quote came from Runner's World the other day.  After reading it several times, I realized how very true it really is for me.  In August, I started talking with a counselor/therapist about some issues in my life.  Since the beginning, Michelle has talked to me about meditating.  She firmly believes that doing a "brain dump" and sitting quietly, focusing on breathing, etc. will help reduce stress and allow clarity of the mind.  Unfortunately, this just isn't really me.  For those that know me and all my craziness, it is obvious that sitting down for 10/15/20 minutes to meditate is not in my nature. 

So, how did I get to feeling that running is meditation?  While I started running for the physical benefits, I see now that it goes beyond that.  I continue to run for the benefit of my physical well-being, but I also continue to run for the benefit of my mental well-being.  The time I spend running, with or without a running partner, is a time to reflect.  I generally run on the greenway - the greenways are not terribly crowded, they are scenic, and fairly quiet.  When I run alone, I focus on my breathing and letting my mind move away from the day-to-day things in life.  When I run with Sarah, we tend to use the time running to talk about things on our minds - and it turns into a very helpful therapy session of sorts. 

While I haven't completely given up on meditation in the traditional sense, I love what running as a form of meditation has done for me.  In my running, I am able to tune out everything around for just a little bit and just be. 

Moment of absolute (unnecessary) panic

Today, I receive an email regarding the Run for the Warriors in Jacksonville, NC.  About a month ago, I decided that this was going to be my very first half marathon.  I have talked about it over and over since making the decision, but today was different.  I was absolutely panic-stricken when I received the email about registration being open for the race. 

Where had the person that was so excited gone?  I have no clue, but the thoughts running through my head went something like this:

• Only skinny people should run more than a 5K.  (I am not skinny.  I haven't been "skinny" since I was born over 30 years ago.)
• Only fast people should run a half marathon.  (I am not fast, but I am not the slowest person either.  I am a penguin runner and I embrace it.)
• You don't run.  You do intervals (run/walk).  That isn't running; that is cheating.  (I believe I am a runner.  Therefore, I am a runner.)
• You will never finish.  (I will finish.  I might be walking, I might be last, I might be crying or laughing, but I will finish.)
• You need to stop kidding yourself.  You have never stuck with anything more than 6 months in your life.  (I made the decision to transform myself in May 2010.  I started running on July 24, 2010.  I have been at this just over 6 months and I ain't stoppin'.)

Well, those thoughts were absolutely ridiculous.  I even went to the extent of emailing my running buddy and telling her that I didn't think our training program was right.  We have worked out a plan and it will work.  I told Sarah to file my email under the emails that never should have been written because it was absolute psychobabble associated with having hit the "submit" button on the registration page. 

I have moved past those thoughts and I am going forward.  Sarah and I are gonna rock the Run for the Warriors on May 14.  We are going to finish the half marathon and be happy about it, no matter how long it takes us. 

McFatty Monday - 3rd week

This is my third McFatty Monday.  Not a ton of change since last week.  On Tuesday, I went to my weekly weigh-in at Weight Watchers and was disappointed by a 1 pound gain.  After really thinking about things, I realized that I can't down myself.  I am working hard, making good choices, and doing the best I can.  Sometimes, the results aren't in the pounds.  With that, I am feeling great and that's all that matters!

Things that happened last week:

• Brought my lunch the 4 days I was in the office
• Cooked dinner (Friday) and brunch (Sunday) while my parents were here for a weekend visit (instead of eating out)
• Completed a 5K with a PR! 
• Signed up for my very first half marathon (May 14th) this morning - so scared, excited, nervous, happy!

Sunday warm weather fun

My college roomie, Charity, and I have been talking about getting together for a walk on the greenway when the weather warmed up.  Today was the day.  In Raleigh, it was 70 degrees and b-e-a-u-t-i-f-u-l!  I don't know that I could have asked for any better weather at the end of January.  Hopefully, this is a sign that spring is going to be here sooner :-)

Anyway, Charity picked me up and we went to the greenway trail where Sarah and I meet during the week.  Since Charity had heard me talk about the horribly long bridge up to Capital Boulevard, we decided to go that way.  Initially, we were going to walk a 5K, but as it got closer to the turn around point, I decided to keep going.  I was a sneaky little devil and didn't tell her where the halfway point was. 

In just over an hour, we:

• walked just over 4 miles
• earned ~6 WW activity points
• saw 12 turtles sunning
• were passed at least 15 times by bikers, some very polite and others not so much
• talked about all the shenanigans going on in our lives and the lives of our friends
• had a wonderful time!

Looking forward to meeting up on the greenway again dear!



Me and my college roomie, Charity
(Please ignore my big monkey ears sticking out from my hat and my lack of eyes ;-).)



Busy couple of days

The past few days have been quite busy, but wonderful.  A recap:

Friday:

• Took the day off work since my parents were going to get to Raleigh mid-morning
• Went to the gym at 7:30 a.m. and had personal training appointment at 8:00 a.m.  Despite my asking him to "take it easy", Rick kicked my butt.  Oh well...
• Took my parents to see the American Chronicles: The Art of Norman Rockwell at the NC Museum of Art.  This was the second time I had been to the exhibit and I was amazed yet again
• Got our passport applications sent off!  We're looking forward to our Disney Dream cruise in May!
• Hanging out/dinner at our house

Saturday:


• All Star 5K!  While the entire weekend was wonderful, this had to be the highlight.  My Mama went to the race with me and I met up with Sarah and some other running buddies.  Sarah and I had discussed the possibility of the All Star 5K being a race PR and it was!  The course had a couple of hills that weren't too fun, but we pushed through and finished in 38:43 (12:38 pace)!  It is so awesome to see how far we have come since a 44-minute 5K in September!



Running friends with Stormy (from left:  Beth, me, Stormy, Sarah, Sruthi, and Alisha)

• U.S. Figure Skating Championships - Most people don't know this, but I love to watch figure skating and gymnastics.  The U.S. Figure Skating Championships have been in Greensboro for the last week.  In early January, I called to see about getting tickets, what competition would be happening when we wanted to go, etc.  I found out that the women's championship free skate would be the event occurring when we wanted to go - this was music to my ears.  We had a great time watching the lovely routines.  Unfortunately, because the event was in Greensboro, we had to leave before the last 4 skaters finished.  Never fear - I DVR'd it when I got home and will finish watching the competition this afternoon

Sunday (today):

• My parents are coming over for brunch.  We're going to try a Texas-Style (breakfast) Casserole that I found on the Weight Watchers website.  Hope it is yummy
• Going for a walk on the greenway with my college roommate, Charity
• Relaxing and gearing up for the work week ahead

I may be exhausted, but this weekend was totally worth it!

Love/hate relationship with another piece of gym equipment

I have made my love/hate relationship with the stairmill known in several different blog posts.  I don't think I have ever mentioned my love/hate relationship with the Cybex Arc Trainer.

This lovely piece of equipment is a great cross-training tool.  I have used it sporadically in the past, but usually gave up after 5 minutes or so. 
Yesterday, I went to the gym and decided that I was going to stay on it for 30 minutes.  I thought "Surely, if I can climb stairs for 30 minutes, I can do this for 30 minutes."  I did accomplish my 30 minute goal, but I was soaking wet when I finished.  I guarantee that I broke a good sweat on the Arc within 5 minutes of getting on it, something that never happens on the elliptical.  I guess the Arc engages different muscles in a different way than the elliptical.

While the Arc Trainer isn't my favorite, I have a feeling I'll be getting more friendly with this piece of equipment for a while.  It seems that the 4 Arc Trainers at my gym are the only things that are always open.  I guess everyone is intimidated by the look of the thing.  Who knows....

After my sweat session at the gym, I went home and fixed leftover Brown Rice and Black Bean Casserole and a frozen vegetable for dinner.  I had an appointment with my hair stylist at 7:30 p.m. for a cut and color.  Boy, did I do something drastic last night - I went from dark blonde/light brown to a really dark brown with red undertones.  I love it!  I'll post a pic soon!

Messy dinner tastes better

Each week, I plan a menu.  On Thursday or Friday, I email Jason with the proposed menu and he says "yay" or "nay" to the menu and/or suggests changes.  Several months ago, I was browsing AllRecipes and came across a recipe that we decided to try.

We tried the Brown Rice and Black Bean Casserole and it is now a staple in our menu planning.  We had the recipe as written the first time, but have since modified it:

• More veggies! - green/red/yellow bell peppers, squash, and extras of all the veggies already included
• Added a can of (drained) diced tomatoes
• Changed the cheese from Swiss to cheddar or Monterey Jack

We had it for dinner last night and it once again did not disappoint.  A 9" x 13" pan makes 6 huge servings and the best part...  only 7 points plus per serving!

It isn't the prettiest thing to look at, but it is so delicious!!
(Can you tell I am not a food blogger?)



Penguin'll cut a bi*ch

I think that my running buddy (Sarah) thought I was joking when I said that I was going to write a blog post about the phrase - "Penguin'll cut a bi*ch!" Boy, oh boy, was she wrong...

Today, Sarah and I met up for our normal Monday afternoon run. When we were getting out of the car, I suggested that we might want to go to the left on the trail (we normally go to the right). There is a hellacious bridge that feels like it is 2 miles long if you go to the left. I haven't been on this particular part of the trail since October and I was feeling froggy to try it again. Sarah agreed and we killed it. I love how much I have improved since then, both physically and mentally.

So, anyway... There is a part of the trail that goes under Capital Boulevard. It is a little scary because under the bridge is really dark, even when it is still pretty light out. On the way under the bridge the first time, I told Sarah that I liked the trail as a whole, but hated going under that particular bridge because of the darkness and being concerned that someone may be under the bridge. She said loudly "I got a knife and I'll cut a bi*ch." It was quite funny....


Well, on our way back, we were discussing that a coworker was trying to get together a "NCLM Racing Team"/5K training group and I pretty much told my coworker that I would lead the penguins. Well, next thing I know, we are going under the bridge and Sarah says "Penguin'll cut a bi*ch!" We both busted out laughing. We probably laughed for a quarter mile. Being slow-ish is so worth the fun comments you can make about being a penguin while running.

McFatty Monday

Well, my second McFatty Monday post and I am kinda at a loss.  This week was pretty decent.  I lost 2.4 pounds at my weigh-in last Tuesday.  We'll see how it goes when I weigh tomorrow morning. 

Things that happened last week:

• Had super stressful day at work on Tuesday, but didn't feed my stress by stuffing my stomach (thank God for coffee!)
• Board of Directors meeting and dinner on Wednesday - made sensible choices at the 2 meal functions and brought fruit for snack
• Conference on Thursday - packed my own lunch so I wouldn't have to eat convention center food for lunch
• Wanted to order pizza on Thursday night, but stuck with eating leftover skinny sloppy joes as planned
• Chickened out on my run on Saturday morning, but still went to the gym and had an awesome workout

All in all, I would call it a good week!

PSA and TMI - Bra fitting

This is both a public service announcement and a little too much information...  If you are guy, you may want to stop reading.  If you are a gal that is a little more on the shy side, you may want to stop reading.

Six months ago, I would have never written about this....

The past few months, especially after losing some more weight, I have felt very uncomfortable in my bras.  I felt like they weren't good for my body, were oddly fitting, and just weren't right.  I decided to try on bras the mall on Friday evening and still didn't feel right. 

Yesterday, I convinced my dear husband to go to a local store that sells only undergarments.  The Bra Patch has been around for years.  They do custom fitting in the store for all kinds of needs.  After being measured and trying on several bras, I discovered that I have been wearing a bra that was 2 sizes too large in the band size and 2 cup sizes too large for 10 years. 

I have been "fitted" before in other stores, but this was different.  The associate in the store measured my band size and talked to me about the style of bra I liked, then she got some choices.  Moral of the story - If you haven't been fitted for undergarments at a specialty store - DO IT.  You will not regret it.  I feel so much better!

Chicken

I am a chicken, a big ole chicken.  There, I admitted it. 

This morning, I was piddling around the house waiting to head to my normal Saturday 9 a.m. run with Sarah and Alisha.  As I was getting ready to get dressed, I got an email from Sarah.  She was suggesting that we run this afternoon, as it was 25 degrees and she had her limits.  Well, of course, I was really disappointed that we weren't getting together and tried to act all bad-ass saying it wasn't that cold. 

Boy, was I wrong!  I got ready and got in the car to go to the gym and I thought I was gonna freeze.  My teeth were chattering the entire 15 minute drive to the gym.  I forced myself to run on the dreadmil at the gym.  Unfortunately, I could only muster 1 mile.  That damn thing is so boring!  I finished up my workout with 30 minutes on the stairmill, followed by some kettlebell exercises. 

I am trying very hard to not complain about the weather, but this cold mess has got to stop.  Nothing against Minnesota, but seriously, if I wanted to live there I would have moved there! 

Busy week

Do you ever feel like a short, 4-day work week is way worse than a regular 5-day work week?  That's this week for me.  My organization advocates for cities, towns and villages in the North Carolina General Assembly.  This week we have 2 very important meetings associated with our 2011 advocacy goals - our Board of Directors will meet all-day tomorrow and many of our members will be here for a conference on Thursday.  Needless to say, that means a very busy week for me.  Normally, a Board meeting on Wednesday and a conference on Thursday wouldn't bother me but being off yesterday nearly killed me!

This morning, I found out that the local Weight Watchers center has open hours beginning at 8 a.m.  I went to weigh in before work.  I was down 2.4 pounds - this puts me back where I was before I gained the last two weeks.  Hoping I can stick with the losing trend!  Since work will continue to be extremely busy through at least July, I think I might change my weigh-in day.  I think I will start going to weigh-in at 8:00 a.m. on Tuesday, and then go to an actual meeting at some other point in the week.  Going on Tuesday morning will at least ensure that I weigh every week. 

The rest of the day was ridiculously busy.  At one point in the afternoon, I emailed my trainer and told him there was no way I could make our 5 p.m. appointment - this did not make me happy.  As the afternoon progressed, I knew that I couldn't miss my appointment.  Yes, I was extremely busy at work but missing my appointment would be more detrimental than it was worth - I would be in a crappy mood if I missed for work.  As soon as 4:30 rolled around, I jumped up from my desk and went to the gym.  My workout with Rick sucked, but in the best way possible.  It was just what I needed to take my mind off the stress from work.  I hope the endorphins from the workout sustain me for the next two hellacious days!

Crockpot Minestrone turned Jumble Soup

Our menu for the week included making Crockpot Minestrone.  At some point during the process of making our soup in the crockpot, I decided to add some more ingredients.  To the original recipe, I added a can of drained and rinsed black beans and a big bag of frozen stir fry mixed vegetables. 

We knew that the soup was no longer minestrone and needed a name.  Jason and I have named our yummy soup...  Jumble Soup.  That's just exactly how it came about - a jumble of somewhat random ingredients that didn't really go.

The only modification I will make the next time I make Jumble Soup will be with the frozen vegetable mix.  The stir fry vegetables had broccoli, cauliflower, carrot, mushrooms, and water chestnuts.  The water chestnuts didn't really fit with the mix of other veggies, so I will find a different frozen vegetable combination. 

Jumping in on McFatty Monday

One of my favorite people is Blair (pen name), over at Heir to Blair.  I would encourage anyone to read her ridiculously honest blog about her life.  Anyway, she does something called McFatty Monday.  I have decided to join in on the McFatty Monday train as another way to hold myself accountable.  I figure that if I link to her site each week and follow more blogs of people dealing with the same struggles as I am, then each of us will glean something from the other.

I don't plan to rehash my recommitting to Weight Watchers, my running, or anything else I have said in my blog.  It's all there and I would love to hear what others think of what I am doing.  I am going to become the most healthy I can be.  I am not going to worry with the number on the scale, so long as I feel good and I am healthy.  

Some of my tips for success:

• Write it all down - Every single morsel that goes into your mouth should be recorded.
• Eat lots of fruit and veggies! - Almost all veggies and all fresh fruits are 0 points plus values in Weight Watchers.  
• Find some favorite snack combos and keep them ready for those "gotta have something" moments - One my favs is Trader Joe's hummus with cut up veggies - 4 tablespoons of hummus is 3 points plus and it goes a long way on some yummy carrots, celery, cucumber, bell peppers, etc.
• Try new things! - I tried a new roasted root vegetable recipe that I found on Weight Watchers last night.  I would have never tried parsnips several years ago, but they were so yummy!
• Get up and move - I have joined a challenge to move intentionally for 30 minutes every day for a minimum of 100 days.  I plan to continue moving with intention after the 100 day challenge is over.   
• Figure out what works for you - I have a hard time with not snacking when I am bored, stressed, busy, etc.  Sometimes I can have just a little snack and sometimes it turns into eating just to eat.  When I feel one of those moments coming on, I now eat a little snack.  If I feel it continuing, I drink black coffee.  It works for me.  I don't know if it is the warmth of the coffee or if it fills some void or what - but it works for me. 

Here's to a great week!  Best wishes to all of you that join the McFatty Monday train!

Lovin' running in the sun!

The past few weeks, I feel like all I have done is complain about the weather.  But, come on...  It has been cold, icy, windy, and it just plain sucked.  Well, I woke up this morning to the most beautiful rays of sunshine peeking in my windows.  That just made me want to jump up and get movin'!

Sarah, Alisha, and I met at Crabtree at 9 for our run.  I love running with Sarah, but Alisha has been a wonderful addition to our little team the last two weeks.  Yay for great running buddies!  We were able to finish 4.4 miles at a average pace of 12:09/mile.  I am loving seeing our pace be very close to the 12 minute/mile area.  To think that in September, we were around a 14:25 mile.  The very best part of our run this morning - it was sunny!  The change from terribly uncomfortable cold to cold with sun is awesome!

This afternoon, we met Sarah and Preston at Rudino's for lunch.  I had the most awesome veggie grinder - I could totally eat it every day of the week (well, maybe not).  After lunch, we headed to the Norman Rockwell exhibit at the NC Museum of Art.  It was cool to see art, that I remember seeing in the form of prints as a child, up close and personal.  One big negative was the sheer number of people.  Jason and I decided that we will definitely go on a weekday to future special exhibits.  Being crammed in a gallery trying to look at beautiful art isn't always the most fun. 

The rest of the weekend is shaping up to be pretty busy, but wonderful!

Sunday:  gym; brunch with aunt, uncle and cousins (?); meeting up with in-laws to get a new corner cabinet for our bedroom; friends coming over for yummy dinner and football
Monday: laundry!; run with Sarah; doing some work for the office in preparation for a conference this week; relax!

Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate the Positive...

I haven't had the best day today.  Overall, the day was OK, until I went to my Weight Watchers meeting.  When I strolled into the meeting, I was feeling great.  When I stepped off the scale, I felt terrible.  Why?  Because I was up .8 pounds since last week.  I can't say exactly why this bothered me so badly, but it did. 

I am beginning to think that we are all too preoccupied with the number on the scale or the number of calories our HRM says we have burned.  Why is this so important?  I have no clue, except that some time in the past we were told success was based upon this.  Well, I am here to tell you that ain't so...  Yes, I gained this week.  Yes, I gained last week.  But, that is OK.  It isn't always about the pounds.  It is about how you feel physically, how you feel emotionally, how your clothes fit, etc. 

I am not going to let a week of gain keep me from doing anything.  I am going to keep moving forward simply because it feels good.  I am going to look back at what I have done to see if there is anything I can change.  If there are behaviors that I can modify, I will - otherwise, I will let it go and move on.

Most people have no clue that I have a soft spot in my heart for "The Rat Pack" era music - I love Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis, Jr., Bing Crosby, etc.  The lyrics of one of Bing Crosby's songs seems to ring very true for me right now...

You've got to accentuate the positive
Eliminate the negative
Latch on to the affirmative
Don't mess with Mister In-Between

You've got to spread joy up to the maximum
Bring gloom down to the minimum
Have faith or pandemonium
Liable to walk upon the scene



Here's to accentuating the positive and keepin' on keepin' on....

What helps you when you are discouraged?  I tend to be reminded of quotes and/or songs that make me happy.  

This weather is the pits

Several months ago, the weather forecasters were saying that North Carolina was going to have a mild winter.  At this point, I think it is safe to say that they were absolutely wrong.  In the last month, we have had more cold weather than I care to mention.    I hate cold weather.

On top of it being just plain cold, today is is icy.  My office was supposed to open at 10 a.m., but around 8:30 a.m. the decision was made to close the office for today.  This means that my day will be spent in pajamas with fluffy socks on my feet, coffee in hand, and watching DVDs.  I could get used to being out of the office ;-)

Of course, the office being closed means that I am going to be out of my normal routine.  I am hoping to keep from snacking too much during the day.  Since the ice is keeping me in, I will probably do a silly Walk Away the Pounds video this afternoon.  Yes, I called them silly - for some reason I can't stand Leslie Sansone, but like the workout I get from the walks. 

Oh well, here's to a relaxing day at home.  Stay warm all!

Menu Plan Monday

I love, love, love to plan meals.  I especially love planning meals when they turn out well.  The most fun part of planning meals is finding all kinds of new recipes.  When I plan meals, it helps me with staying on track with Weight Watchers. 

I have been a reader of I'm an Organizing Junkie off an on for a while.  I have found some good recipes from some of the other bloggers, but haven't tried any of them yet.  I am looking forward to trying some soon!

Week of January 8: (we do our menu Friday through Thursday) 
Friday:  Dinner out at Twisted Fork (I had Breaded Chicken Cutlets with San Marzano Tomato Sauce, Mozzarella, and Basil over Spinach Spaghetti.  Yummy!!)
Saturday:  Chinese take-out with friends at our house
Sunday:  Brunswick Stew (Thanks to J's boss, Lynn, for the very yummy recipe!)
Monday:  Teriyaki Cheeseburgers and Spicy French Fries (Weight Watchers)
Tuesday:  Leftover Brunswick Stew (We're going to see Hood To Coast.)
Wednesday: Chicken Piccata; Roasted Baby Red Potatoes; Steamed Vegetable
Thursday:  I have Girls Night Out with my Meredith College girls.  I am going to try to make sure I eat something healthy.

I conquered it!

Several weeks ago, I wrote a post about my most loved and hated piece of equipment at the gym.  While it really doesn't look all that terrible, it is.  The stairmill is/was a torture device, in my mind.  The past few weeks, I have worked very hard to get over my hatred of the stairmill.  I was going to conquer it before it conquered me. 

Today was that day.  I got to the gym around 8 a.m., enjoying that almost every piece of equipment was free.  I decided to ride the bike for about 20 minutes, just to get a decent warm up.  After riding the bike, I was ready to face my challenge.  I got my iPod set with some of Jason's electronic/dance music, grabbed 3 trashy gossip-type magazines, and climbed up on the stairmill.  I set the machine for a "fat burner" workout at level 6 for 30 minutes.  In my mind, I was telling myself to go as long as I could and if 30 was obtained it was great.  I got to climing.  After a while, I decided to see how long I had been on the stairmill - 17 minutes!  Wow!  I have never gone 17 minutes without checking and it felt like I had only been on there 10 minutes or so.  When the 30 minutes were over and the stairmill slowed, I was shocked.  I was so ecstatic that I had faced the challenge and accomplished my goal of 30 minutes. 

Of course, the only issue with conquering anything is feeling unsatisfied and wanting to do even more.  My next goal is to go 45 minutes on it.  I will do it.

What you accomplish in 30 minutes on the stairmill:
Miles - 2 
Floors - 96
WW activity points - 7 (totally seems like it should be more!) 

Virtual 5K

Sarah, Alisha, and I met at Crabtree this morning to do a run.  Last night, I wasn't certain that we were going to be able to meet.  The weather folks around here called for snow last night.  They were wrong - thank goodness (Well, technically, they were kinda wrong.  We got about 20 minutes of flurries at noon). 

We planned to do 4 miles with 3.1/5K dedicated to the Freeze Your Thorns Off 5K Virtual Race.  The Boring Runner set up the race and got lots of other bloggers to join in on the fun.  We finished our virtual 5K race in 38:15, our best "race" time since starting to run in July.  We tried to back down our pace a little bit, but it seems like we are destined to be in the 12+ minute mile pace - I am not complaining! 

Alisha joined us today.  Alisha, Jade, Sarah, and I are going to do the Cooper River Bridge Run in April, so it was nice to put a face with another name.  It was nice to get to know another runner, especially one that didn't mind our slow-ish pace too much. 

We saw a ton of ladies from our NCRC running group.  We saw Sruthi, Jody, Beth, Debbie, Jean, Danielle, and a few others.  It is such an encouragement to see that the other ladies are still running.  We are all gonna be kickin' butt by the time we go back to be volunteers for the group that will begin in July!

Nothing else too exciting going on.  I am looking forward to piddling around the house today and not really doing much.  Love to hang out in "knock around" clothes and be a little lazy.

Today was awesome

Today was beyond awesome for several reasons:

• Monday was not a fluke! - Sarah and I ran a 5K on our normal trail on Monday evening.  When we finished, we realized that we shaved 3 minutes off our time.  We were both shocked.  In my mind, it was a fluke.  We had been averaging about 13:15/13:30 per mile.  All of a sudden, we finished a mile at an average pace of 12:03?!?  Who were these "speed demons"?  Well, it wasn't a fluke.  We ran another 5K today, at a 12:10/mile.  YAY!
• Awesome gifts - Sarah and I exchanged our Christmas gifts today (yes, almost 2 weeks late).  She got me an awesome necklace that has two hearts on a copper disc and a larger silver disk below it that says "to run".  That's us - we love to run!  Little did she know that I had been eyeing several very similar necklaces, but wouldn't buy one for myself.  Thanks lady!
• Mango - I tried mango for the very first time ever this evening.  I stopped by Trader Joe's on my way home after our run to pick up some hummus.  A little further down, I saw a plastic container with cut mango.  I figured that since Weight Watchers allows me to have fruit for free, I may as well venture toward something new.  So good!  I have a nice little container with mango, watermelon, and grapes for a snack tomorrow.
• 100 day challenge is going well - I have moved intentionally every single day since the beginning of 2011.  I know it is only 6 days, but come on - it is an accomplishment.
• Compliments are a great pick-me-up - I was a bit down early in the week for no explainable reason.  I got several more compliments today from people I don't see often.  It was great.  I think I am finally out of my funk.
• FRIENDS and FAMILY - I am surrounded by the most supportive group of family and friends.  We may not always agree about every single topic, but we are there for one another.  I love it. 

So, YAY!  Today was a wonderful day.  When I have a day like today, it sustains my joy for a long time.  Here's to many more happy, wonderful days!

Monsters... and movin' on



Today was one of those days.  Actually, yesterday was kinda one of those day too.  For some reason, I felt like I was being chased by some kind of nasty monster.  I figured out last this morning "who" the monster was - it was the monster of self-doubt and self-defeat.

I didn't have the best weigh in today at Weight Watchers.  Last Wednesday morning, I was caught off guard (in a wonderful way) by a 3.6 pound loss.  This morning, I had a 1.6 pound gain.  As soon as I left the WW center, I began to tell myself that it was time to quit, that I can't do this, and it is just silly to keep trying.

Not long after sending an email to my running buddy, Sarah, I received some great encouragement from her.  A few minutes later, I got some cheers from my college roommate.  The rest of the afternoon at work, I was approached by coworkers with whom I normally don't speak and received compliments on how I look, my "glow", etc.  I got an email from my Mama telling me to "...not give up so easy...(you) are doing good..."  It was great.  All of the encouragement helped me survive the day - I didn't eat anything random out of the snack machine, drink a Coke, skip the gym, or head home to eat half a package of Oreos.

The encouragement got me to the point where I could talk to my number one encourager, my husband.  Jason called me when he was about to leave work.  I told him about my disappointing meeting and how I felt like I was wasting my time.  He immediately said "... We are not going to quit...  You're gonna keep making yummy recipes..."  That was what I needed.  I needed to hear that from him at that very moment.   

I am not going to quit Weight Watchers.  I am not going to quit working out with my trainer once a week.  I am not going to quit running.  I have too much invested in me.  It will take time.  This won't be the last time I am discouraged, but I am movin' on.

Be Somebody

For Christmas, my hubs bought me some philosophy shower gel and lotion.  I was first introduced to the products when I was in college and had a friend that used them.  After getting out of college, I felt spending the money on them was too extravagant.  However, every time I saw a philosophy display, I would stop and enjoy the lovely scents of the various lotions, etc. 

It wasn't until I was putting on my Be Somebody lotion this morning that I realized every product has a different philosophy on the bottle.  The bottle said:

"philosophy:  you can be somebody without having wealth, fame and power.  these gifts define a standard of life not our standard of virtue.  you will be remembered for your virtues.  the headlines you make in this life will be based on the differences you made in the lives of others.  you are defined by the smiles and sweetness you leave behind.  so be kind and know, in doing so, you are indeed not an anybody but a real somebody to love." 

This has been in my mind since 6:30 this morning.  I do try to embody a spirit of joy most of the time; sometimes I do well and sometimes I fail.  I am going to add this to my goals for 2011.  I want to be somebody.  I want to be kind daily, no matter how hard, so that I can be remembered as "...not an anybody but a real somebody to love." 

Really ready to conquer the next challenge

I have had a goal all along to complete a half marathon in late 2011/early 2012.  In the last few weeks, that goal has changed quite a bit.  Sarah and I have officially decided to make the Run for the Warriors in Jacksonville, NC our first half marathon.  I am so excited!  I am slightly concerned with the date (May 14), as Jason and I will be on a cruise/at Disney World from May 5 through 12.  Oh well, I am gonna do it.

I think that I am finally really ready to conquer a half marathon, mentally and physically.  It was a lofty goal when I mentioned it on my Facebook last May.  It was unrealistic, in my mind, when I started the NCRC running program in July.  I wasn't in any mental or physical shape to work toward such a goal several months ago.  Now, after seeing just how far I have come, I am ready.  I am ready to look this challenge in the face and defeat it. 

Menu Plan Monday

We were out of town visiting my parents from Thursday through yesterday.  I worked out our menu for this week before we went out of town and bought most of the groceries.  Thank goodness!  There was a lot to do, etc. when we got back yesterday.

Week of January 1:
Saturday:  We had dinner with my parents at the Channel Marker Restaurant in Atlantic Beach
Sunday:  Chicken Salad Sandwiches; Baked Ruffles
Monday:  It's Chili By George
Tuesday:  Cajun Shrimp; Roasted Baby Red Potatoes; Steamed Vegetable
Wednesday:  Leftover Chili
Thursday:  Grilled Pork; Roasted Sweet Potatoes; Steamed Vegetable
Friday:  Dinner out at Panera Bread

Here's to 2011

Well, 2010 is now over.  It was a pretty darn good year.  There were definite highs and lows, but I feel like I made the best of every situation I was in.  I accomplished some things that I never thought I would do, and it feels pretty amazing.

I am not big on resolutions.  I have always been one of those people that makes all these lofty resolutions and loses interest after about 1 month.  I have decided that instead of laying out resolutions, I am going to set some goals for myself.  I am going to do the best I can to reach those goals and will report back at the end of the year.  but I do think every person should set goals for things they want to try to do each year.  So, here are my goals for 2011:

• Move with pace, purpose, and intention every single day.  This was already one of my goals, but it was reinforced when I read John "The Penguin" Bingham's blog post today.  I do not plan to run every day, as I am definitely not going for the goal of being a streak runner.  The movement can be anything - walking, stairmill, climbing the stairs in the office during lunch, WiiFit, etc. 
• Run at least one race per month.  I started running in July and have fell in love with it.  I think that I will continue to be most fulfilled by running if I sign up for a race each month.  I think I am only missing a race for June and August.
• Run a half marathon.  I am certain that I can do this.  I will definitely not be the fastest person, but I am going to do one.  I am hoping do the Run for the Warriors in Jacksonville on May 14. 
• Continue to do well on Weight Watchers. 
• Run at least 700 miles in 2011.  If I continue at the rate of running I am doing now, I should have no problem averaging 13.5 miles per week.
• Volunteer with the NCRC Women's Beginner Running Program.  I definitely attribute a lot of my 2010 fitness success to the NCRC program.  I met some awesome people and found a hobby/fitness activity that I absolutely love.
• Continue to work on my overall transformation.  I made a lot of progress in 2010 and need to continue progressing in 2011.  Can't wait to see what this year will bring!

Great couple of days....

The week has been awesome.  My organization closed the offices last Wednesday and will not reopen until Monday, January 3.  This has allowed me to have a much needed break.  Here's a summary of the last few days:


Monday: 
Jason and I were both suffering from a bit of cabin fever after being snowed in on Sunday.  We took it easy and relaxed Monday morning, then got ready to head out for some errands, etc.  The most awesome things about Monday: 

• I got a "new" iPad!  Jason had the Wifi version, but gave me his when he bought the 3G version (Yes, I know that I am a lucky girl!). 
• Very relaxing late lunch at Maggianos.  We had zucchini fritte as an appetizer and I had the best chicken francese.  Delish!

Tuesday:
Jason had to work on Tuesday.  Since I got up when he did, I decided to go into my office for a while.  I packed my lunch and headed in to work on some Board meeting minutes and other miscellaneous outstanding items.  I left the office at 1 p.m. and spent the rest of the day doing "me" things.


The wonderful things about Tuesday:

• Got a few things done at work that had been hanging over my head - feeling so much better about enjoying the rest of my time off!
• Went to Fleet Feet and got myself an after Christmas treat with my Christmas money.  I got myself a pair of Saucony Kinvaras!  I am looking forward to testing them out this weekend while we are in Beaufort visiting my parents.

• Worked out at the gym for nearly 2 hours - 45 minutes on the treadmill, weights/kettle bells and 20 minutes on the stairmill (I am bound and determined to get to 30 minutes on that thing!)
• Got to visit Jasemin and get a haircut

Wednesday:
Today has probably been the best day!  Here's what's most exciting about today:

• Went to Weight Watchers this morning since we are heading out of town tomorrow.  I lost 3.6 pounds since last Wednesday.  While this is exciting, it is even more exciting that the lost happened over Christmas!  I had the foods I wanted over the holiday, but made sure that I didn't go crazy.  YAY!
• Had a great personal training appointment with Rick.  We did my measurements for the month and he told me that I am his one true success story of the year.  He said that I wasn't just working out, but really working on transforming my entire health outlook.
• Met with my counselor/therapist.  She said that I am "healed".  While we both agree that talking with her should continue, she praised the progress that I have made in working through my issues with communication and anxiety. 
• Had lunch at my husband's office with my husband and his coworker, Erin.  I love our weekly lunches together!
• Ran some errands at Southpointe.  Got some new eye shadow from Bare Minerals and some Philosophy lotion.
• Going to dinner with my hubs at Milton's!

See!  It has been a wonderful week and it can only get better.  Jason and I are heading to Beaufort to visit with my family tomorrow.  I am looking forward to the adventures in Carteret County!



Menu Plan Monday - week of December 25

Well, Christmas has come and gone.  We are heading out of town to visit my parents on Thursday morning, so the food this week is going to be easy or involve going out.

Week of December 25:

Saturday:  Christmas dinner at the in-laws.  We had filet mignon, crab stuffed twice baked potatoes, and asparagus.

Sunday:  Brown Rice and Black Bean Casserole

Monday:  Leftover Maggiano's (we went there for lunch and brought part of it home for dinner.)

Tuesday:  Leftover Brown Rice and Black Bean Casserole

Wednesday:  Out to dinner at Milton's

Thursday (in Beaufort w/ parents):  No Name Cheeseburgers; Salad (?; need to talk with parents)

Friday (in Beaufort w/ parents):  Pilcher family Christmas celebration (snack/appetizer supper)

Christmas - Helping others

Each year, my husband and I adopt a child from a local Angel Tree.  In the past, we have adopted a child from the Durham Council For Children With Special Needs from the tree at Nordstrom.  This year, the process at Nordstrom was different.  When we arrived at the mall on Black Friday, we were a little disappointed but decided that we were going to adopt a child from an organization.  I called the DCCSN, but didn't receive a call back from a staff member. 

The next weekend, we went to Crabtree Valley Mall and saw the Angel Tree sponsored by the Salvation Army.  We adopted a 5-year old little girl (Vianey) and her 2-year old brother (Ricardo).  We were able to purchase a lot of clothing at JC Penney.  We generally try to buy 6 or 7 pieces of clothing that can make several outfits.  We also purchased some toys and coloring books/crayons from Kohl's and Target.  My parents helped us out with our angels this year and we all felt really great about the items we purchased for the children.  We dropped off our gifts on December 11 at the Angel Tree in the mall.  We were glad that we were able to help the children, but it drifted to the back of our mind amid all the hustle and bustle of the season. 

Well, last week, the reality of those that are less fortunate hit my like a ton of bricks.  The Salvation Army was using an old car dealership on Wake Forest Road as their distribution center and toy shop for this Christmas.  I pass by this car dealership every day and never seem to notice it.  Last Monday, I looked over and saw tons of people in line.  It made me sad, but warmed my heart at the same time.  The children of the adults in the line will be receiving Christmas gifts because of people that chose to adopt from the Angel Tree. 

While we were a little disappointed early on that we would not be able to adopt from the Durham Council for Children with Special Needs, I am glad that we found the Salvation Army's Angel Tree.  I hope that Vianey and Ricardo enjoyed their clothing and toys from the Reynolds and Brown families!