bringing back bunny

Insanity-Week 4-Day 24

2011-11-30T21:47:00.000-05:00

I may have developed an intense need to keep tissues at the ready in the last 12 hours but I finished my insanity workout dang it! Now if this cold medicine would work maybe I could get some sleep.

5k in the AM

2011-10-21T06:38:00.001-04:00

It will be uphill and 37 degrees. I'm not pleased.

2011-07-26T23:07:00.000-04:00

Been back at is pretty hard. Had some initial weight fall of and now it has returned in the form of sore muscles and aches as I try new routines and workouts. Time to push through the water weight.

Mid-Year Goal Update

2011-07-11T22:03:00.001-04:00

Goals Check-in.

Updates are in blue and goal revision are in orange.

Short Term/Recurring Deadline:weekly or more
1)Minimum of one weekly blog post
As you can see this hasn't been happening.
2)Stretch routine
I am stretching more but have failed to establish a specific routine.
3) Begin some kind of regular meditative routine(stretching, mediation, reflection, etc.)
I have checked out a few different books for this topic and continue to pursue it as a course of study. No set routine.

Medium Term Goals
1)Be able to do the splits Deadline:June 2011 October 2011
Actually Making progress on this.
2) Achieve final round of Bunny weight lost Deadline: March 2011October 2011
Actually gained back some weight with all the moving stress and chaos.
3) Squat 140lbs on Smith Machine Deadline: April 2011 Canceling goal and replacing it with new number 3
I can do around 130 without issue. 140 should be doable but I am now switching to actual squat racks which completely changes the weight.
3 ) Do at least one bodyrock.tv workout per week

Long Term Goals
1)Run a 5k in under 35 minutes Deadline: December 2011
Doing lots of elliptical
2) Complete a chin-up Deadline:July 2011 November 2011
Yeah.....
3) Complete Gideon-Sensei's 60 push ups in 60 seconds challenge September 2011 December 2011
Long way to go

Things are coming along and I hope to be moving back in the right direction towards goal actualization. I am trying to keep work at work. I am also trying to monitor sleep and hydration as a means of headache control/prevention.

-Bunny

Laura vs The World Round 21312353234

2011-05-15T22:50:00.000-04:00

Let's see how long I can keep this up now that things have slowed down to warp six.

2011-03-15T11:37:00.001-04:00

Good news...lost five pounds....bad news...it was due to a stomach virus.

Pretty fatigued. Hoping to be back at full swing next week.

ATL makes your butt big

2011-03-08T21:22:00.000-05:00

So the travel I referred too had the feared effect. Note to self: don't get stranded without a car in the ATL on training or you become a victim to whatever you can find or whatever rich food everyone else with a car wants to eat. I also couldn't go to the fitness center for fear of being devoured by all the marines that were there for training.

So now we are back again. I have a few lessons learned like the ATL helped me gain two pounds. 145 seems to far away now. So in response I have actually up'd my eight goal to hitting 140. After all this time of striving for 145 and being near enough to holler at it across an open field has allowed for complacency. Yesterday my eating was solid. Today my eating was less so. I had several health and schedule things going on today that resulted in too much soda and a candy bar. I also discovered that not all greek yogurt is created equal. Week before last I waltzed about happily with my little 15g of protein greek yogurt. This week I grad a big container at random b/c I was in a hurry. My hustle cost me. While this particular yogurt(the greek gods- honey flavor) is rather yummy it has a measly 4g of protein.

While I have not been at the physical gym, I have been pretty active and done some things at home. I am returning to fitbit land this week. I always wear it but I let it slide from adversary /ally to accessory. I am trying to re-elevate it. My step count is back up and I am logging my food again.

Back on the Band Wagon

2011-02-21T23:27:00.000-05:00

Hi bandwagon I missed you!

I really was doing so-so without you. I hit the gym a mimimum of twice a week with friday iaido. Howeer my nutrition went pretty far south. I had three weeks in a row of managing to not make it to the store for my work food run. As a result I had mcdonalds 6/9 morning for two of the weeks after my egg beaters ran out. I ate subway ham and cheese every day for lunch on weeks one and three. Week two was filled with hodge podge(sp?) left overs. Dinners during the week continue to remain out of my general control but I am manuveuring them well enough. I am coming off a long weekend that was the icing on the nutrition-fail cake. Four days in a row off with only pizza, soda, and cereal laying around to eat. Pair that with a low activity level and we have a chubby bunny.

This week(since i was off today my week "starts" tomorrow) starts the attempt to join up with the BodyRock.tv diet challenge. I am going to try and get back on board logging my food and try and see how many super foods I can fit in a day.Below is a nice visual from www.bodyrock.tv.

Here is our list of Superfoods:
Protein – lean red meat, salmon, omega 3 eggs, low fat – plain yogurt, black beans, tempeh, kidney beans, low fat cottage cheese (lactose free if you can find it), chicken breasts, turkey breasts, protein supplements (whey protein isolates, milk protein isolates, or rice protein isolates)
Veggies and Fruits – spinach, tomatoes, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, oranges, mixed berries, lettuce, bananas, grapefruits, cucumbers, kale, collards,
Other Carbs – mixed beans, quinoa, whole oats, amaranth
Good Fats – mixed nuts, avocados, extra virgin olive oil, fish oil, flax seeds (ground), coconut milk,
Drinks – green tea, liquid exercise drinks (quickly digested carbohydrate and protein), greens supplement

I hit the store and have stuff to try and hit it up in every meal and snack with the possible exception of my cheese sticks which I will prolly just pair with almonds. I am super excited about my dehydrated blueberries and my new never before tried Greek yogurt(will pair with cookies and cream protein powder).

Next week I will be on travel for training and we will see how well I cam play without the home field advantage. Hope everyone is doing well and working hard!

Tiny update and Book Reviews

2011-02-09T21:32:00.000-05:00

Hit the gym this evening. Deadlifts, back extensions, assisted pull up, and bicep curls. Ellipitical as warm up and then post lifting cardio.

This week has been a major nutritional failure. I failed to make it to my weekly grocery run Sunday evening and have been scavaging for food and hitting up fast food as a result.

I have made some solid knitting progress this week and I am devouring books again. The knitting group I started at work will have our second meeting next week and I am looking forward to it.Books I have polished off since my last post-Resenting the Hero,Heros Strike Back, Dead Until Dark(audiobook), currently reading Cast in Chao(Chronicles of Elantra-latest installment). Tiny reviews:

The Heros series has three more book out right now and is proving to be a nice enough series though a tad slow at times. The "hero" (yes, the one we are resenting) is drastically more dynamic that the heroine(point of view character). Her back story is that of a "shield" which are trained to show minimal emotions and maintain the mental guards of their "source" who has the abilities to stop natural disasters with their minds. Even for someone who is trained to have the emotional range of a teaspoon she has her moments in which she feels a bit wooden. She does improve but I have read that as the story lines progress she does get a bit overly wooden in the most recent installment and that the last book is just a rehash in order to build up for something more. But I suppose I'll know fr sure when I get there. One the whole a reasonable fantasy series that doesn't require intense amounts of thought or a dictionary. It is often light heart and enjoyably comical.

Chronicles of Elantra has always been a real joy. I just really enjoy the depth and humanity that is in that series. It is a nice fantasy with some very nice touches of realism and sci-fi and a very distance glimmer of something that could resemble love interest in a parallel universe where the heroine had time to give a damn about anything resembling a love life. The heroine had me hook by the end of the very first page. I like her instantly. We meet her as she is already late for work and trying to get dressed. She sniffs a shirt and decides it clean enough and pulls on the only pants that aren't ripped. I was sold. It is a book that does a great job of not always telling you what the hell is going on because the heroine isnt ready to think about it or doesn't understand it herself. As the series grows so do the characters. They are as rich as the cultures that Michelle Sagara West weaves into the different races(Aerians, Leontines, Barrani, Dragons, Tha'alani, and Humans). A very enjoyable series thus far.

Dead Until Dark audio book- I attempted this particular endeavor some 2-3 years ago and just couldn't get into the narrator's drawling(albeit appropriate) Louisiana accent. However I accidentally stuck the burned CD of it into my stereo in the car on Sunday and decided to endure it. However I discovered that the more I sat through the more talented the narrator was and the more interesting the book became. I think that this audio rendition was far more interesting than the actual novel would have been as a straight read. The narrator was emotional, passionate, and deeply committed to the portrayal of both the main character and the supporting cast throughout the entire endeavor. While pre-twilight, post-anne rice vamp stories may not be your gig, the narrator in undeniably talented if you give yourself enough time to adjust to the bayou of it all.

Sure more book reviews are to come and maybe some knitting pictures as I finished the much anticipated yak slippers and crank out another hat.

so much for weekly

2011-02-01T22:01:00.000-05:00

...but such is life.

If I gave up every time I failed to accomplished something I set out to do, I wouldn't have made goals in the first place.

PERSEVERE!

Jan 10-16 check-in

2011-01-16T23:00:00.000-05:00

I have been making really great progress in the last week despite the inclement weather keeping me away from the gym. Not everyday was perfect today all I ate was mac'n'cheese and cookies but every now and again that's okay.

I have managed to average 10K steps a day for two weeks and continue to love my fitbit. Two coworkers recently switched to my gym and given the improving weather it should be an increasing popular destination. Having two more people to harass you about not having seen you at the gym is all the more incentive to get my tail to the gym on days that feel sluggish.

I need to continue to work on incorporating stretching and meditation into my routine.I do my last minute fitness frenzy before bed and then collapse leaving out the very important mental and physical time needed to let the day go. I think the fact that I don't journal that as readily as my food and basic fitness allows me to let it slide more readily that my auto recorded activity levels. I bought a small notebook to start recording that time in. Hopefully this will provide me with a reminder/ accountability mechanism.

2011-01-11T18:34:00.001-05:00

We've had our fair share of icky weather and it continues. We have already missed a day and a half of work with week and its only Tuesday. Last Friday was my scheduled day off so now I am woefully behind. I had great energy this morning simply through the roof. Now I am dragging and exhausted. Tonight I will be working on my stretching and meditation goals because it seems incredibly appropriate. I got in my workout during the work delay earlier(we opened at noon) and I could use the constructive down time.

Well, time to make dinner. We are having chicken tacos. Yum.

I am be reasonably well behave as far as food is concerned but again...it's only Tuesday.

Fitbit Review

2011-01-09T22:55:00.001-05:00

So it is now time for the much anticipated fitbit review.

I really enjoy my fitbit. I like that it can wirelessly sync with my website. I enjoy the nice graphs and thier pretty colors. I like getting a visual on how active I have, how much I ate, how well I slept, etc. I take have found that I take entirely too many steps in a day in some convoluted attempt to please the fitbit. What can I say... I am easily guilted/goaded by it's shiny graphs and ranking systems.

So far of the 3 people I know with a fitbit two have already lost theirs. That is a tad bit concerning to me. While it is small and compact it does appear to have made a disappearing act and gone for a swim in the toilet. The seemingly lost fit bit later turned up in their car. They were able to track it down with their docking station by checking to see if it would sync in the car.I wear mine in on an inner layer of clothing to avoid losing it but it is pretty snug.

Fitbit's site is an integral part in teh actual fitbit experience. The site is not smartphone freindly and can be slow at times. However I liek the general layout and love the colors of the site. It is a nice integration of presonal and public. YOu can see everything about yourself and then check out your ranking among your friends and groups you have joined.

On the whole I really love my little fitbit and think it is well worth the investment.

Dec. 16-Dec. 27 update

2010-12-26T12:35:00.000-05:00

Short term goals are getting worked into the routine. I am also incorporating push-ups a couple times a week for the pushup challenge(which according to Gideon-Sensei is actually 30 in 30 seconds but oh well we'll see what I can pull off in 60). I tried to do a chin-up(and a pull-up)...it was funny. I just kinda hung there with a tiny crick at my elbows.

I changed gyms last week. I now belong to Evolution. I have enjoyed my one visit so far and can't wait for the holiday travel and seasonal weather all for a regular schedule.

I received a fitbit for Christmas but more on that later. I imagine that will be a post for next week so I can give a better picture of the whole thing after some increase use. But so far...I'm in love!

Fitness Reboot

2010-12-15T22:58:00.006-05:00

Based on over all fitness, I think I have been successful in "bringing back Bunny." It is time to begin "building a better Bunny." I have be floundering in an attempt to best Bunny. My gym attendance has been basically non-existent but my weight has held steady, fluctuating between 150.4 and 153.5ish. I realized that I am allowing myself to slip and not aggressively pursue the full intent of Bunny's purpose. I am breaking my own rules....I'm down to one goal.

Maintaining multiple goals is a way to keep yourself moving and motivated. All I had left was a weight goal that had grown stale with age and winter weather. So today I am declaring some new goals. The include a range of goals and some that require daily changes. This lets me use the small changes to work towards larger goals with defined deadlines. Remember that deadlines are always a way to see how far you have come rather than what you have left unfinished.

Short Term/Recurring Deadline:weekly or more
1)Minimum of one weekly blog post
2)Stretch routine
3) Begin some kind of regular meditative routine(stretching, mediation, reflection, etc.)

Medium Term Goals
1)Be able to do the splits Deadline:June 2011
2) Achieve final round of Bunny weight lost Deadline: March 2011
3) Squat 140lbs on Smith Machine Deadline: April 2011

Long Term Goals
1)Run a 5k in under 35 minutes Deadline: December 2011
This may seem slow. For all competitive purposes it is; however, on an individualized basis that is a 3minute improvement(roughly 8%)
2) Complete a chin-up Deadline:July 2011
3) Complete Gideon-Sensei's 60 push ups in 60 seconds challenge September 2011

What kind of goals are you setting? How are you gauging your progress?

On a side note: I will be investigating the possibility of a new gym soon and assessing whether or not my work schedule would allow me to do some very active work with a non-profit that promotes healthy lifestyles for young girls.

Side note #2- I am loving the new job even it it has cut into the fitness.

2010-11-15T06:21:00.003-05:00

Finished the 5k yesterday. Now today is a two knee braces kind of day. More details to follow as an edit to this post as official race results become available.

Dec. 16th EDIT: Just realized that I never actually updated this as promised. This 5k let me know I am NOT a cold weather runner. However it also show an improvement in time. it was only a few seconds from my previous 5k time(which was rather slow). However, this time I ran on hills in the cold whereas before I ran before I ran a flat course on a summer morning before it got too hot. I think it was a big improvement even if the numbers don't show it. I think the new Brooks running show were a big help b/c while I had residual knee pain I could still walk this time.

2010-11-14T09:39:00.001-05:00

5K race with #teameffort this afternoon. Oh goodness what am I doing?!? lol.

2010-11-09T22:29:00.002-05:00

Back from vacation. It was really lovely.

Now down to business. Weight has been steady and gym attendance low.

I am signed up to do my second 5k this weekend. Hopefully, unlike last time, I will be capable of walking the next day.

Did Body Weight Matrix at the gym today. I will be super so tomorrow. Rejoice!

I remain close to my ultimate wieght lost goal. I must remain vigilant and drag me tail to the gym enough to get my employer reimbursement and spend the rest of my days with Zuzana of bodyrock.tv.

Gibberish sentences complete. Time for bed so I can get my giant employer sponsored physical in the morning.

2010-10-20T05:51:00.003-04:00

Still adjusting to the new gym. Did so pretty heavy lifting on Monday. I am still stupidly sore. Squat 110lbs on the smith machine, leg pressed 170lb, lat pull downs 90 lb, dumbbell chest press total 40lbs, unweighted back extensions. The back extensions were a bit of an afterthought since someone decided to pitch a tent and make smores on the pull down machine in the middle of my sets. The extension thingy is also completely resistant to begin adjusted or playing well with others. I heart weight lifting. Oh additionally I have be maintaining just above 150 and actually saw the 140's very briefly last week. I am without a scale during the week currently which I will remedy when I can remember to bring one from home.

New Job

2010-10-10T09:11:00.002-04:00

Thus far the new job seems to be working out great in the eternal quest to bring back bunny. While I can't really talk about all of my work I can say that I seem to have a really great peer group. They are really accepting and warm. There is a general enthusiasm and welcoming feeling throughout the entire division. I am particularly fond of my section of hallway. Sadly, next week will be the great office scramble of 2010 so I'll have to start from scratch but it should still be fun.

I am up much earlier now. I am at my keyboard at 7am everyday. Hot tea has become a staple in my morning routine these days. I am still configuring gym time into new schdule. I have only made it out to the gym once since starting my new job. Part of it is the traffic problems and the other part is my own negligence to have prepacked my gym gear the night before. I have vowed to get in at least twice this week. I am not really crazy about the snap fitness location I will have to use now for weekday workouts. The layout is unfamiliar, some of the machines are strange, and I despise their ellipticals. I'm sure I'll learn to like it more with time and I can just suck it up and use a treadmill.

In summary, new job=great, new gym location=awkward new kid feeling just walking in the door.

I've decided to quit working out...

2010-09-16T15:25:00.004-04:00

From now on I intend to train.

My new job will place me in the same metropolitan area as the other members of #teameffort. I am excited about the idea of being able to occasionally meet up and train together. Wow I feel so manly and seriously. I just opted to use the term train. This is because I'm done with "working out," I intend to approach my fall fitness with a martial arts attitude.

I would like to continue to improve as a martial artist and that requires cross training. I want to train for improved cardiovascular endurance, speed, and strength this fall. Renshi said my cuts are not strong enough. I intend to rectify that. I will be beating a padded martial arts stand every Friday with a shinai during ETSU iaido. During the week, while I am in the metropolitan area, I intend to hit up the gym multiple times a week. It will take time but so do most things worth doing. I am excited about my potential for personal improvement this fall. Happy training!

<3 Bunny

Side note: I have maintained a weight lose of 16.5lbs for over two months. I'm feeling pretty good but I ready to blast through that last 6.5 lbs left to meet my goal. My plans to continue to slim and tone seem bright bright.

Mid-September Madness

2010-09-16T15:07:00.003-04:00

There has been a lot going on for Bunny lately. But that is just the way of things I suppose. I successfully passed my rank exam last weekend so now I can train like I mean it without having to worry as hard about being too worn out to test. I am trying to keep my sweet tooth under control with little success but at least the already eaten cookies can no longer taunt me.

My only gym attempt this week was foiled by my own idiocy. I forgot my gym key(my electronic card needed for entry to the 24/7 gym) and had to turn around and go home. I have done a bit of work at the house but it has been a busy week.I have been so exhausted this week but I vow to make things workout a bit better because my schedule will be changing soon.

Why is my schedule changing? I got a new job. I'm sure that training at my new job will be equally exhausting as trying to tidy up to leave my old one but I will have a very different schedule. I will be going into work earlier and getting off earlier. This means I can hit the gym after work and get started before the average Joe/Jane gets off work. The post-work elbow bumping was a major reason for switching to AM workouts earlier this year; I am excited by the prospect of spacious afternoon gym action.

2010-09-07T21:36:00.002-04:00

I am trying to find balance this week. I have a looming test date and a drive to get back in the gym. So far the knees are clicking lightly but but and running. Let's hope they hold up through Saturday.

Side note: Proud to see Tiger-san's new site is up an running!

The evil cake and a looming exam

2010-08-24T07:23:00.004-04:00

There is half an enormous pound cake sitting on our counter. I have been informed we get to keep that half. This is the most scrumptious pound cake known to mankind. I am going to do my darndest to not eat it.

In other news, I am trying to balance my fitness routine with the news that I have a rank test looming. However once that passes a few weekends from now I will start to run out of excuses for delaying gym workouts. Mind you this kind of passing is pretty guilt free for me. Passing on a gym workout makes it easier for me to work out like crazy in iaido. I'll just slip a little body weight matrix in a some point in the week.

Our dinner planning has really rallen apart lately. Rotations are putting a damper on our diets. I need to fix that.

A comical blog

2010-08-14T11:08:00.001-04:00

Sadly it is not my blog that is the comical one however Hyperbole and a Half always makes me laugh and I have vowed to begin following it.

2010-08-03T22:47:00.006-04:00

Successful but exhausting workout this morning. I'll be working out with Renshi this weekend and I am both looking forward to it and anxious as always. I love going but feel like I haven't practiced enough...cause I haven't. Oh well, it will be fun and I'll be beaten like a pinata.

I have been practicing my own advice and reviewing my workouts both before and even after. By studying history and foreseeing my weekend workout I can tell you this:1) I will be to sore to run/elliptical tomorrow and 2)it would be unwise to break my legs as I will be needing them this weekend. So instead tomorrow will be a day of multiple stretch routines, ibuprofen, extra healthy eating, hydration, and a hot bath. Knowing when to not workout and how to handle post workout soreness is just as important as the workout itself. My body will need some extra treatment to recover from the brutality that is the Body Weight Matrix. Letting my body recover is vital for fitness. My most immediate step toward muscle recovery(not counting this mornings post workout routine -including cool down, stretches, and protein) will be some stretches and a good nights sleep.

So good night all. Stretch well and sleep tight.
<3 Bunny

The Roller Coaster of Excuses

2010-07-27T16:38:00.005-04:00

July has been pretty up and down month for fitness. My workout have been few and far between this month. As I reflect on it, I am gaining a better understanding of how this came to pass. I had several workouts flop because I either slept poorly or not enough. I had some workouts flop because I forgot to get everything together the night before. Any of the other excuses I have cooked up for July all boil down to inadaquate preparation and time management. It takes 5 minutes to get my gym clothes together the night before and 20 if I do it the morning of. It takes 15-20 minutes to review my weight lifting routine the night before and at least 25 if I wait until the morning of my workout. I had at least 4 instances where being ill prepared gave me an excuse to crawl back into bed and sleep a while longer. Those night of poor planning often involved staying up to late and thus getting to bed late. So not only was my workout stuff scattered and impossible to assemble I was now too tired and bleary eyed to care.

Long story short, a good workout starts long before you hit the gym. Having your bag assembled, your clothes laid out, knowing your plan, and being well rested are all essential parts of a workout routine. What happens after to drop the weights and turn off the treadmill is another important aspect of fitness we often skip. Be sure to hydrate, stretch/cool down, get your protein if you are lifting, and always try to get an adequate amount of sleep.

FYI-I was at the gym this morning and I know a member of #teameffort was hula hooping and doing aerobics before I even had my sneakers laced this morning. I am tremendously proud of you and everyone else who is at least taking the time to make fitness a part of their life.

2010-07-22T20:13:00.001-04:00

Started a new phase of my weight lifting program yesterday. My legs....dear god...my legs!

Goals and Accomplishments

2010-07-01T07:48:00.003-04:00

Setting goals is a very good way to motivate yourself. But what about when you don't meet those goals? I have reached that point. My initial goal when I started my new fit way of life was reach my goal weight by July 4th. It is July 1st and I am certainly not going to drop another 8lbs in 3 days. When I first realized how behind I was on my goal some time ago, I thought I would be disappointed watching this goal date pass me by but I'm not. I'm actually really proud of myself. As of this morning, I have lost 15lbs and have reached a new record low weight as an adult. I look at how much I have accomplished and how far I have come and I'm not the least bit disappointed. In fact, I am really excited about keeping it up. Rather than beat yourself up as deadlines come and go, look at how much you have accomplished and keep racing towards a healthier you.

Fighting the "ho-hum"

2010-06-28T12:33:00.010-04:00

We all have things we have to face head on in the pursuit of fitness. So today we are going to stare down Boredom. Boredom can take many forms and cause us to do or in some cases not do several things. I've seen boredom take shape in several ways in my life...

I'm bored with my workout. So you stop going to the gym or pursing whatever it is that you are pursuing. Start with taking a look at why you are working out or doing fill in the activity. Ask what you enjoy about the activity and what it can do for you both now and in the future. You may realize that you enjoy your activity but just need to mix it up to prevent that "ho hum" feeling. You may want to find a partner to join you in the activity to make it more lively and help hold you accountable. You may also discover that you simply don't like the activity or don't find it challenging. If that is the case it is time for something new, something fresh. Start looking.

Working out the the same music is boring. For Zune users there are workout channels that update weekly thus allowing you several options to mix up your music every week. For iPhone user, I've heard that there is an NPR music app that is pretty kickin. I'm not sure what style the music is but I'm sure you'll find a way to fit it in. Pandora may also offer you a way to discover new and exciting band that match the types of music you already like.

I'm at home and I'm bored. You may find yourself in the kitchen. Then at the computer or in front of the TV. Three hours later you have eaten an entire bag of straight-to-my-hips-chips, accomplished nothing, and end up kicking yourself. I have made it a point to minimize foods in my kitchen that fall under the heart-attack-in-a-sack category. I also make it a point to log everything that I eat and ask myself "Am I actually hungry of am I just bored/stressed/upset/etc.? Simply stopping to check yourself in the kitchen can be just as important to your body as checking your form at the gym.

I'm at work and I'm bored. You may find a similar food situation arises to that which you face at home. However now the vending machine of doom is your only option. Now is a good time to point out that work is a place that is riddled with saboteurs. All those donuts, cupcakes, soda, and other snacks can add up quickly. That being said it is okay to let yourself enjoy a treat but being able to say no is important. Trust me, boredom lets the one donut become 3-4 more easily than we would like to admit. Long rant short, enjoy a treat on occasion but be weary at work. I take my preplanned snacks to work so that have a healthier stash that is part of the plan.

I'm not accomplishing anything, how boring. When it comes to fitness, you should set smaller achievable goals and possibly a few long term goals. Some of these should be measureable. Be it weight, BMI, how long you can jog, how much you can lift, or how you feel-you should keep entries somewhere that let you track your progress. I have days where I feel listless until I remember how far I've come and use my renewed positivity to tackle how far I have left to go.

I'm bored. Period. Start by finding a constructive way to spend some of that free time. You can start a new hobby, pick up a book, learn more about something that interests you. I am slowly learning more about food, nutrition, fitness, and topics relevant to what I would like to do professionally. I also enjoy knitting. My next topic of research will be something about meditation/yoga/stretching so that I can use my I'm bored time in a more relaxing and constructive way.

Boredom, the blahs, that "ho hum" feeling. It causes us to do all kinds of things that can be unproductive or even counter productive. I am going to try kicking boredom in the face from now on and use that time for something more positive. Time to persevere.

Rise and Shine

2010-06-17T10:06:00.005-04:00

This week I have decided to move all my gym time from evening to mornings because eating dinner at 9pm isn't my favorite thing in the world. So far I have found that I really enjoy having my evenings free(when not at iaido). I have more time for errands, making dinner, and hanging out. I have also discovered that the gym is less crowded in the morning. However getting up earlier is rough. I'm sleepy as I type this. It is forcing me to follow my own advice when it comes to sleep. This new routine is making it painfully obvious that I stall to much as bed time approaches and stay up too late too often. I need to start wrapping it up at least 30 minutes before my appointed bedtime or I have set myself up for failure.

I am in stage 2 of New Rule of Lifting for Women. The workouts are long and thus I need to get up even earlier than I have been so bedtime will become essential to this effort.

#teameffort is still alive and well. Everyone is working very hard and I am really proud of this team.

So exercise...sleep....oh yeah what about food? Our house feel off the band wagon a bit in the midst of company and festival season however we are pushing hard to get back on track and back to our planned menus.

Blue Plum 5K 2010

2010-06-05T11:15:00.002-04:00

This morning I completed my first ever 5K. Now that I think about it, this was my first competitive sporting endeavor I have been in as an adult. There are time where I thought my knees would explode but I am really glad I did it with the help of a friend. The last .14 miles was easily the hardest and I felt fit to collapse. It took about 37 minutes and 17-20 seconds. I don't have the official time, just a glance a the big finish clock near the finish. We are already talking about doing another one, may in August. I just have to keep working on all around training and work even harder. As my partner said, now I have a time to beat. And now for the victory photo...

5K in 30 minutes!

2010-06-05T08:33:00.000-04:00

I hope I don't die!

And June shall be filled with kick-assery

2010-06-02T07:19:00.002-04:00

If May was the month of maybe-maybe not then June shall be the month of kicking ass. This morning I leg pressed and seated row'd more that my current body weight. It felt awesome. PERSEVERE!!!

May- The Month of Maybe /Maybe Not

2010-05-31T07:50:00.003-04:00

May has been a month of what feel like yo-yoing. My body officially hit the weight where it sat very comfortably for many years. As such it has been fighting to stay that way, where is is comfortable. So after a month of wonder the official weight in for the month is an overall loss.

I have also been going back and forth about whether or not to run in a giant 5k this weekend. You have read about my conquests with running and my epic level of "not so great at running." I have been staring at last years times that are posted on the web and wondering if I would be embarrassed by my time being posted forever on the web. Nothing says spry and fit like getting thrashed by a bunch of senior citizens. At present I am leaning towards just sucking it up and doing it. Now I just have to find $20 to register.

I missed a few lifting sessions this month when my bunny died. I just didn't feel like lifting. However I have managed so get back in the swing of things and squatted 115lbs on Saturday. My lifting weights keep going up which is probably part of the culprit regarding my weight fluctuations. Even if I'm ditching fat I am picking up muscle. I've just gotta keep at it.

May has also been a month of unexpected company thus derailed meal plans. So have I made good food choices maybe, maybe not. I won just about as much as I lost on this front. I just have to remember the trickery involved in a restaurant salad. Nothing is scarier than a 2000 calorie salad. Except maybe a 5 minute microwave mug cake with 791 calories. Fate and a lack of cocoa saved me from that mistake last night at 11PM.

Well ladies and gents, I'm off to the gym to lift some weights and break a sweat. Happy Fitness to you all!!

2010-05-29T09:21:00.001-04:00

Quickly....TO THE GYM! /strikes a pose and points into the distance

I am BAD at running

2010-05-10T20:25:00.005-04:00

But I'm still trying. I don't really care for running in general as I am very bad at it and it makes my knees scream like a banshee. However I have decided to do it anyway. Running comes with more milestones and things to give you a sense of achievement. There is a 5K in June that I would like to try and participate in. My goal would simply be to complete it without embarrassing myself. I am working on walking/jogging/running.

Today was my first attempt at running outside. This is a big deal given that I am not crazy about running or being outside for the sake of being outside(I'm Irish and thus sunburn very easily). I used a generic camel back for this endeavor. Pros:light weight, did not become hot, sweaty, of heavy, carried water, keys, phone, and mp3 player for me. Cons: feels a little strange traveling at anything faster than a walk with a backpack on, needed to be worn with the right kind of shirt to avoid neck rubbing, water hose wouldn't stay in place while jogging.

I also used the cardio trainer application on my Droid. It was really very cool. It timed and tracked my run with GPS. I have all kinds of stats on my "run" thanks to some nifty technology. I traveled 2 miles in 30 minutes. I still feel abysmally slow and I just need to keep jogging. I feel like I look stupid when I am jogging/running but really I look no different that the other people that I see jogging all the time. Well I might look a little more winded but that's life for ya.

I am going to keep trying to improve my times and hopefully my enjoyment of traversing the outdoors/treadmill. I like a lot of other outdoor activities surely I can learn to like jogging more cause the view today was amazing. I <3 mountains!

The scale is waffling in case you were wondering but the amount I can lift is increasing. I have to remind myself that muscles are heavy and that I am going to have to deal with that if I would like bigger muscles. I would like bigger muscles in case that was unclear. I'm excited about getting some white house worthy arms and "energy legs."

So today's motivational moment can be summed up this way- When things aren't going as well as you'd hoped and you are stuck on thinking how bad something is...stop. Stop fixating and look at the bigger picture. The entire picture. I wasn't just sucking at running; I was standing on a path in a meadow with rose bushes and a killer view of the mountains and I almost missed it cause I was too busy thinking about how bad I was at running.

Stop. Inhale.Observe. Exhale. Embrace. PERSEVERE!

#TeamEffort

2010-04-28T23:25:00.005-04:00

Tonight I was perfectly prepared to skip my work out and laze about after getting off of a very bleh day at work very late. However then a casual comment by a friend made me realize that it isn't always about me. Bearing in mind yes it is my work out and I am in control of it. But we are part of team. We are counting on each other. That realization that you might actually be encouraging people is well...encouraging. After that I snapped out of and did the roughest at home jump rope workout to date. 40 rounds with the tabata timer using 5 variations and my invisible jump rope.

Funny that it wouldn't really hit me in my blog before it hit me on twitter. I have to fellow twitterers that are also fighting for fitness. I introduced the #TeamEffort hashtag earlier this week. It somehow immediately became a thing between us and I try and use it at least once daily. So the lesson for today is that intrinsic motivation is incredibly powerful and needs to exist for your fitness goals to be meaningful however group support will drastically increase your success rates. So ask yourself why you have the goals you have and are they healthy? Then make your plan of attack, make it reasonable but challenging, and recruit your support network. You can get support and motivation from friends, family, forums, blogs, books, etc. I use a combination of everything I just mentioned.

Never Surrender! You are not alone!

These are the new rules....

2010-04-24T19:39:00.007-04:00

Yesterday I purchased The New Rules of Lifting for Women By Lou Schuler with Cassandra Forsythe( workouts by Alwyn Cosgrove.) So far I am really enjoying the book and have already started the work out plan detailed in the book. This meant that today I was working out in the free weight section with all the boys.

I'll readily confess that charging in there alone was nerve wracking. Especially when I realized that while there were only 3 guys when I started they were hogging the cable station and the barbell-both of which I needed. The cable station cleared up pretty quickly and so I was able to knock out both sets of my first pair alternating exercises. I look up and the barbell is now being used by another guys. So i complete both set of my remaining pair of alternating exercise. After that it was all or nothing so I walked up to the guy who had just set down the barbell and after starting the ipod user half to death I got up the guts to ask if he was done and if not could he show me how to adjust a machine so i could lift there instead. He was done and politely clear the barbell for me and I was off.

So now that I have my barbell I'll confess to having been a bit afraid of it. I needed to lift it off the ground, hoist it over my head, and do squats with it resting on my shoulders. I was terrified of dropping it. However I am pleased to say it was surprisingly light I simply let fear get the better of me. I completed my 2 sets of squats and will be ADDING weight to the bar when I do squats again(should be Thursday when I repeat workout A again, Tuesday will be B). I polished off my workout with some intervals on the elliptical.

I feel like it was a really good experience. I felt really informed and confident going in despite my silly barbell fears. I am really excited to get my next work out together.

Side note: I saw a hot pink set of 1lb dumbbells that were so ludicrous that I laughed out loud. I were positively pointless. Which reminds me....There was a girl there working out with such light weight and doing the recumbent bike so passively that I almost said something to her. If your work out was horribly ineffective would you want someone to tell you and politely suggest using a higher weight or idk maybe actually pedaling the bike at a speed fast enough to keep a real bike upright?

For my weight loss techies

2010-04-22T08:08:00.005-04:00

Well I am less alone that before in camp fitness. Another friend of mine is trucking it out on #loseit. While I can't share in her iphone glory I can share some otherr tech toys with her. To your left you will see my pedometer. That handy USB cable allow it to sync with a computer program and automatically graph your progress. It really is a nifty little toy. It can also track aerobic v regular steps. Although it can be difficult to trip the aerobic setting sometimes. I find that see how sedentary I've been is crazy motivating. It also tracks calories and fat burned.

I also use www.caloriecount.com as my calorie and activity tracker of choice.

Little Engine That Could

2010-04-22T08:02:00.004-04:00

This journey to fitness is actually teaching me a bit about life in general. While I have remained rather consistent with my workout efforts, I am not always well behaved in the food department. The result is a backslide. I've had at least 3 "backslides" that make my weight graph look like the seismic activity of a small earthquake. However it isn't about that backslide, it is about the recovery. With each backslide I want to try even harder to move forward. I have already done it once before and I know I can do it again.I've said before and I'll keep saying it "Persevere."

I am transferring this feeling into my professional life. I honestly feel like I have every little professional life to speak of. I am a highly trained individual who uses very little to none of my training in an unrelated job. At times, it can feel like my entire professional life is in a backslide. My fitness journey has reminded me that aggressively changing the elements I can control can improve the situation. I may not see results right away but, like fitness, the biggest changes are the ones you can't always see straight away. You just keep working as hard as you can and eventually all that unwanted junk will dwindle overtime leaving you with only the solid core underneath. I can't control everything but I can keep working on me and eventually I'll get there.

This morning(post was actually written yesterday) I realized that it also helps to remember that success is measure in many weights. I did my measurements this morning and have lost a total of 6.85 inches. I use waist,hip,muffin, and thigh if you just had to know.

2010-04-13T20:20:00.000-04:00

Here we are again. I was finally closing in on the 101lb mark when disaster struck. A giant bag of mini candy cars is always a bad idea. The office has been a terror to me since last Friday. So far we have had two birthdays with LOTS of cupcakes, endless candy, and a breakfast bar at yesterday's in-service. Despite my best efforts both yesterday and today to work out like a crazy person I fear that tomorrow may be the fourth day of consecutive weight stagnation or gain. It is incredibly frustrating. I am determined to get past this. I am exercising. Friday was iaido, Saturday we had an iaido seminar, Sunday was my off day, yesterday I worked out at home b/c i accidentally left my gym pass at home, and today I hit the gym. Tomorrow I'll be back at Snap for weight training and cardio.

While I hate to rediscover lost weight I have discovered something new. Having to watch the scale go back up after it has been going down is tough. Having to decrease your total loss is even more motivating than I could have imagined.

Blew it right out of the water

2010-04-03T01:23:00.000-04:00

This week I was able to rock out and finally hit the 7lb mark. I have been working out and watching what I eat to a reasonable degree. However I am not always watching what I drink. I need to restart my "put the soda down" mantra. I drank a damaging amount of soda today without even thinking about it until it was too late. So I may get to relose some weight for being an irresponsible guzzler of soda. But that's life and it happens so I'll just be more aware of the soda temptation now that we are finally out of birthday cake. The birthday cake has been unpleasant too but that temptation went better than anticipated.

Tomorrow I will be hitting the gym to compensate for my bad behavior today. Today was my rest day from the gym. I was there M-W and worked out at home yesterday. I'm sore but happy. When my professional life seems so out of my hand it is nice to be able to focus on things that I can control. I can control how I eat and how I exercise a good deal of the time. Fitness is a decision that we make that requires action. Since starting this blog I am committed to taking action and writing about it. Even if no one is reading or watching, I will keep typing and keep trying.

I will persevere.

Week 2 at Snap and Week 3 with Savingdinner.com

2010-03-30T00:13:00.000-04:00

Today I had my fitness session with Eric the trainer at my new gym, Snap Fitness. I spent most of the morning in anticipation wondering how I would do considering that I got very little sleep last night. Thank you sleep apnea and two incredibly loud trains. I managed alright. There was a lot more discussion that I thought there would be. I ended up doing a few exercise with him and then he let me loose.

Our adventure in food continue as we follow the pre-planned menus. This evening was Cheesy Tarragon Chicken with yukon gold potatoes. We now get the majority of our groceries from Earthfare and I find that I really enjoy shopping there. The staff in knowledgeable and friendly and the butcher is readily available and accommodating. Their employees seem to actually enjoy working there. I find it to be a very pleasant overall experience.

Now far, far, after my bed time I shall crawl into bed and hopefully sleep like a rock since I have to go into work early tomorrow.

New Gym

2010-03-25T20:26:00.001-04:00

Fitness, fitness. Well, we are continuing with the pre-planned menus. So far so good. We have had very tasty meals overall and only deemed two "just okay." I joined Snap Fitness on Monday. It is a giant gym chain with a great local gym feel. I have 24/7 access to the gym and a staff that already knows my name. I can use any snap from all over the country and get a free fitness assessment and a free session with a trainer to set up my "gym orientation" and my basic work-out routine. I think this may help to to keep at it in terms of cardio and an extra level of overall accountabilit. Snap also offer a section in thier website for you to findle with various fitness tools. It also tracks your visits.

In other new I think I may be coming down with something. Upon exciting my elliptical I felt a bit off. Jittery in a shaky way. It passed quickly and I arrive home. While cooking dinner I became super hungry and tired all at once. Not surprising given how hard i worked out today. However I became immediately nauseated to the point that I can't really enjoy the kick as beef stir-fry I cooked up. As I type I am bone tired. I blame my manager for coming to work while terrifyingly ill. Here's to hoping I feel better by morning.

EDIT- The mystery illness seems to have passed. Hurray for feeling mostly better for Friday.

Housewife for Hire

2010-03-18T23:48:00.002-04:00

So tonight I review the pre-planned menu in detail as promised. We are using menus planned by www.savingdinner.com. This week menu was selected from one of the ebooks I purchased however starting week after next, I will be using the weekly menu that will arrive in my email.

Day 1:Roast Chicken- Yeah, I roasted a whole freaking chicken. I was strikingly easy. The directions were clear and food turned out wonderfully. Chicken gravy, Parmesan mashed potatoes, and steamed broccoli and cauliflower were our sides. Left over chicken was designated for use in later meals.

Day 2:Crock Roast- When using a crock pot you just plug it in, toss it in, and forget about it, very simple. However to check see that the outlet you selected actually works otherwise you will notice that you crock pot is cold two hours later. This minor set back resulted in us having beef that was more like brisket and less like roast.Still tasty but not quite what we were going for. This was served with Honey Roasted Sweet Potatoes.

Day 3: Burritos- This was a nice way to use the chicken from Day 1. The spice suggestions were good. I made exciting tacos that completely followed the recipe for the brave member of this household. I had mine without the beans, salsa, and tomatoes.

Day 4: Barbecued Beef Sandwiches- This day fell apart a bit since I had unexpectedly uncooperative beef due to my own idiocy when cooking the roast. However luck would have it that at work they served a big bunch a bbq pork as i was leaving. So I had left over chicken on salad and left the bbq for the starving weight lifter. Pasta was served as the main back up dish. No worries careful portion control kept everything in check there. However the recipe that was provided looked nice had I not brisketed the roast.

Day 5: Cajun Salmon & Chicken

YUM!

(and don't inhale cajun rub)

Enough Said!

YUM!

Day 6: Cheese Strata- This was a tasty but odd adventure. I was the worst meal calorically this week. It is mostly bread and cheese. I think the only losing point was that the bottom most layer was a little too liquidy. If I made this one again I would use less liquid than what is listed in the recipe. The company we had over cleaned their plates though so it was certainly popular enough. We served this with applesauce.

What do we have to look forward to in the next round....

Day 1: Turkey Citrus Salad with Poppyseed Dressing,add whole grain rolls and fruit kabobs
Day 2: Salmon Carbonara, add a salad and garlic toast
Day 3: Honey Lime Grilled Chicken Thighs, big bowl of broccoli slaw and a bowl of raw baby carrots
Day 4: Asian Beef Stir Fry, add brown rice and steamed broccoli
Day 5: Skillet Pork Pasta, and a big salad
Day 6: Crock Moroccan Chicken and Veggies, with steamed green beans

I adore having dinner planned out for me and the grocery list is ready to go. By know how the day will end nutritionally I can plan the rest of my day rather than trying to make dinner fit around everything else and wrecking my diet. This has been a huge help. I can't wait to get my first menu mailer next week.

The website is easy to use, the plans are super affordable, and they take PayPal. Life is good. So far I am very happy with our purchase.

Strengthing Your Chances

2010-03-16T22:07:00.003-04:00

I have talked about several informational things in this blog in an effort to inform and encourage those who may be reading it. This evening I read an article on strength training that lead me to this evening educational point. Strength training is your friend. Treadmill and elliptical are all fine and dandy but strength training is essential to weight loss and good health. Besides even if you loss all that weight what is the point if all you've done is uncover a bunch of limp noodles clinging to your skeletal structure. I have also been a supporter of strength training. The more muscle you have the more calories you burn. Period. To drive the point home I’ll share an expert from the Women’s Health Training Guide 2010 :

“…women who completed an hour-long strength training workout burned a average of 100 more calories during the 24 hours afterward than they did when they didn’t lift weights. At three sessions a week that’s 15,600 calories a year, or about four and a half pounds of fat- without having to move a single muscle (p.51).”

This is not to say ditch the cardio though. There is nothing like letting loose and trying to annihilate the twiggy sorostitute on the machine next to you. For the record I hate losing to trashy wisps that pass for women. Major workout there.

This evening consisted on hand weights at the house and some exercises in the stairwell. The new meal plan is working out great so far. I will give a detail report on that at the end of the week to review our entire first week at once. When you take the guess work out of dinner it is easier to plan your lunch and snacks appropriately. I have almost successfully relost the weight that I regained while on vacation despite all the walking. Victory!

2010-03-14T13:53:00.000-04:00

This week we are trying one of the menu planning services that I mentioned previously. You can all expect a full review of the menus later this week after we complete all the meals in this section. I had a lovely work out tape session earlier. Now onto a day full of house work. Laundry and cleaning isn't so great but I do love cooking!

Back to Real Life

2010-03-13T08:31:00.000-05:00

Well I am back from vacation. All is as I feared. I managed to regain weight despite walking 54.38 miles while on vacation. It appears that I am falling back into a healthier rhythm already now that I get to control my eating options again. I just need to stick with it and soon I'll re-lose those few pounds. Losing weight does not come easy to the women in my family but I will persevere.

2010-03-06T07:55:00.000-05:00

I am away from the blog for a week. Cheers!

Think Quality, Not Just Quantity

2010-03-03T21:46:00.000-05:00

Tonight I was magically inspire to do two videos. One strength and the other abs/cardio. This was my first time with Trainer's Edge or Jeffrey Scott. I was pleased with the variablity in the video as it provided three levels for each exercise. It calls for two sets of weight and a mat(or soft floor like carpet). The instrution was encouraging and upbeat without being annoying. I will definitely be trying this one again.

Insert Work out number 2. Oh Shaun T, you and I go way back. I always end up coming back to Shaun T. I really like his energy and excitement. One day when I pluck up enough courage I will try some of his "Insanity" series again. It is quite literally insane. I am trying to shape up some before I try again so I won't be rendered immobile and nauseous by the end of it.

Today I order a really snazzy pedometer from amazon.com. Minutes after I order it I realized I am an idiot and most likely have not picked a fast enough shipping method. Why does the timing matter you might ask? Well, you see I will be away from my blog next week racking up the mile while enjoying Disney. I read that people walk an average of 7 miles a day while visiting Disney. i was intensely curious to know how many miles and how many calories I would burn through while there. So please cross your fingers that it arrives before Friday evening or all hope is lost.

Now onto another lovely education segment. Last time it was about getting enough sleep, today it will be about calories. More specifically where they should be coming from and how many you need.. According to the Mayo Clinic's website 45-60% of you calories should come from carbs, 10-35% protein, and the remaining 20-35% from fats. You may be think "wow, what a high fat percentage! Hurrah, I get to eat a whole cake". Sadly no. Your daily caloric intake should not be composed of more than 7% saturated fat or more than 1% trans fat. Your body needs a minimum of 1200 calories to sustain itself each day. Anything less than that and you risk muscle loss.

Menus and Mayhem

2010-03-02T23:18:00.004-05:00

Well life has been a bit crazy as of late. It would appear that I have at least two companies interested in me. That is good but I can't decide if it is more or less stressful than no interest.I have actually received notice of an offer but I don't know if I want it. It is with my current employer and there are going to be some major staff changes(really good ones at that) but I just don't know. I do however have an introduction(but everything about the set up screams interview) with another group in one of the other tri-cities the Friday. Wish me the best of luck! I am really interested to meet this group and see how they are shaping up in the face of major change and reestablishment.

I have been pretty bad on working out as of late due to weather(resulting in gym closure), illness, soreness from other workouts, guests, and travel.Tonight I was back on the elliptical after some time away(see lame excuses above for missing 3 sessions in a row) and it sucked. I forgot my Sansa and tried the elliptical that I used to love. Used to is the operative word there. It is simply a different model by the same company but it was strange. I only burned 280 calories when I can usually crank out over 400. I blame my own lazy butt and lack of musical motivation for that one.

I have been decent with my diet though. I am also looking into menu planners for our household. Ones that hand you a flexible menu and then hand you a grocery list. I have discovered several so far but www.savingdinner.com will be the winner if their menus are actually tasty looking. That link appears to be broken atm but I have emailed them. I have also found several other sites that will plan and grocery list your dinners for you.

Now in keeping with me snoozing my way to fitness I am off to bed. zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Sleep My Way to Fitness

2010-02-24T14:51:00.005-05:00

As I am trying to improve my fitness( and thus my overall quality of life) I have been neglecting something. My bedtime. I haven't gotten to bed on time in several weeks. It is showing under my eyes and on the scale. So tonight I shall reinstitute bedtime. This means working out earlier, eating earlier, and taking care of all my other duties like playtime for the bunnies earlier.So tonight I will do my SELF magazine video workout. I will eat dinner at a reasonable hour. I will not wait until after 9 or 10pm to let the bunnies and come hell or high water I WILL get to bed on time.

Bit of learning for the day- The average adult need 7-9 hours of sleep. Those who don't get enough sleep are 20% less likely to exercise. To top it off only 1 in 4 adults get 8 or more hours of sleep each night. So not sleeping. All of this is from the National Sleep Foundation.

Working on Work and Other Thoughts on Pursuing a Profession

2010-02-23T23:41:00.000-05:00

What am I working on at work? Well naturally I am working on my own stuff right? 'Fraid not. I am working on everyone's work but mine. I finally received real assignments at work- grant preparation. However today I taught myself how to do all the verification and prep-work for getting the time sheets, mileage, and leave ready for fiscal because our department has a truancy problem. I find this ironic. When I first started working in the department I was often greeted with hostility. I was later informed that my confidence and pride in myself and my work made my co-workers(even a director in another department) feel threatened in their job security despite my complete disinterest in their positions. However now that they are less threatened by me I am actually doing their jobs due to truancy issues.

So I am not really happy in my benefit less, leave-less, mileage-less, thing that is considered my job. It was originally selected as an internship to fill in the gap between my previous meaningful planning internship and graduation at which time I would hopefully have a job. It has proven to be a strong strategic move in a rough job market for a planning hopeful. As much as I feel more underpaid, under employed and under appreciated by the day, I am slowing snatching up some useful things. I have locked in a solid reference, am picking up grant writing skills, developed a reputation as a tech expert, directed other personnel, interviewed and selected new hires, run in-services, the list goes on.

This brings me to the hopeful part. Even if I feel like I am being dragged through a putrid hell on a daily basis and I return home reeking of old lady and moth balls I am more confident about my ability to do ANYTHING else. I have two job apps out atm. One as a coordinator, I've checked up on it and it is slow moving and I have no real news on it of that things are being "processed." I am overqualified for this position but I would really enjoy it. The other is a director position. Rumor mill has it that the group is interested in talking to me. Until recently it felt like a daunting task to consider but as of yesterday I feel like it would be a welcome change that I would rock at. I think I would be happy in either position. I'm just hoping and praying that I get one of them.

I have spent a lot of time in the last few months feeling a bit depressed, stress, and blase. However a chat with mi madre clued me in to what was really going on. The further we get from our goals the more disenchanted we become. We feel guilty for letting go of the tight grasp that we once had on these goals and dreams that were so close at hand when things don't line up. Things don't always go as planned and that's okay. Change to meet what you have available to you be a career path or a fitness. However on the key virtues, never compromise. I want a career that helps the community and it may not be planning. I am changing my diet and exercise, I may not be able to make the damned scale move but the goal is fitness.

fyi-this has not been edited sorry if it is bursting with nonsense, fragments, or grammatical murder.

2010-02-23T08:29:00.000-05:00

I've been down and out with a cold but am finally feeling better. I have iaido this afternoon with some guest instructors. <3 My completely irresponsible attitude during my cold(and all the cookies i ate) has done some damage to my progress. However I will solider on. The house is now stocked with fruit, salad, new Tupperware, and other healthy options. With guests I'll be hard pressed to get in some cardio today but my free weight videos resume tomorrow!

Ups, Downs, and Free Weights

2010-02-17T19:14:00.001-05:00

Interesting day in the various aspects of life:

Food- I totally bombed out today with an impulsive and rushed order at Sonic. Since I was running VERY short on time(ordering when I was already supposed to be at lunch due to unexpected delays), I just order the first ting that I saw. As it turns out that was nearly a 1000 calorie mistake. Careful ordering could have saved me 500+ calories.
Work- Small victories today. The director has put me in charge of all the grants. I started with just one and next thing you know I have the applications for all the grants sitting in my inbox.
Health- My nose will not stop running and I am feeling sluggish. However after kicking myself in the butt, I refuse to let a leaky nose and busted lunch calories throw off my plans. I WILL do my strength training tape come kleenex or high calorie counts.

Letting food set backs effect the rest of my daily fitness plans would be a major mistake. I even worked over an hour late today. Netflix is queuing up some Ellen Barrett and I am grabbing my free weights!

Back at it again

2010-02-16T23:48:00.001-05:00

Well the updates have been sparse as of late but I will not abandon this venture. I may get back into micro updating. Roxy is using the week in review approach but I feel that I would find a way to put that off. So I am back to the blog with renewed dedication. Time to update the masses. The weight is slow to budge but I could certainly be trying harder. I am still surrendering to the siren's call that is more commonly know as a toaster strudel at 11pm. I have been exercising but once again I need greater consistency and frequency. I have a newly charted plan and we'll see if I can stick to it. I am still using calorie count and theorize that i need to add food before i eat it in order to see how it effects the delicate calorie meter. I have continually discover only after eating something that I forgot to factor in the "fill in the calorie goal buster here" when I was adding in my head. I have also lowered my daily calorie goal which has resulted in a large number of busted days. However I am staying under the original goal more consistently. If I manage to keep this up I should be able to get the scale to budge a bit.

To update I manage to hit 475 calories during my cardio time and I learned that cardio b/f iaido makes me to tired to move for the first 20-30 minutes of iaido. I am now pleasantly sore. Also I am currently sampling Ellen Barrett Work outs on netflix.

Side note: I also finished knitting about 5 minutes ago. Woot new hat!!!

2010-02-01T08:05:00.001-05:00

Well the bathroom is nearly done but that was one of the more productive aspects of the weekend. Having "eat what you want" days can be a beautiful thing, however; Saturday got a little out of hand. Needless to say my glorious three pounds of weight loss is down to about a 1 pound. This is also in conjunction with a few other changes I made this weekend so the increase in water weight is not entirely unexpected.

Roxy updated yesterday. <3 I am reinvigorated. A bad diet day is simply that. Just brush yourself off and put the cookies down. Today at lunch break I will try and run by the store to pick up more of my healthy goodies that I spent the entire weekend without. Getting snowed in with nothing healthy to eat was a bad bad thing and it shan't happen again.

Today, I vow to do a workout video when I get home from work. I don't care how exhausting an audit (we are undergoing a routine audit today and tomorrow at work) may be I need to slip in more activity. It helps reduce stress and my waistline.

Creative Calories

2010-01-30T16:35:00.000-05:00

Well the weather hasn't left me with many healthy eating choices here at the house so I am getting creative. Not with my food but by redoing the bathroom. I braved Wal-mart not for wheat thins but for wall paint. An entirely new look should be in place by the end of the weekend.

Here is a before shot of one of the walls. The are currently a nice neutral yet blah, neutral shade of "white that considered being lilac then thought better of it and went back to nearly white."

The second picture is to show the top not attention to detail the previous painter had as well as the garish rejected shade of robin's egg blue. The photo does not even come close to showing the correct shade of easter rejection.

Back at It

2010-01-28T18:36:00.000-05:00

My toolbar is keeping me mindful of what I eat. I am finding it very useful.

I didn't do elliptical on Tuesday cause some jerk threw off my entire groove with this clumsy attempt to hit on my using iaido as a lead in. That always pisses me off me than just about anything else. So today I was back at it. I scorched a delightful 455 calories a new record and over my 450 goal for the day. Woot.

EDIT: Also pretty sure that the building I work in is trying to give me some sort of awful cancer or other various unpleasant illnesses. For those that pray please pray that I find a new job before this one literally kills me. Headaches inc. migraines, all sorts of ailments. Ugh.

2010-01-22T08:23:00.001-05:00

I found my dream job this morning and I am exactly what they are looking for to do it. It just so happens to be in frakin Ohio. /joblocationfail

It's me again Margaret.

2010-01-21T12:20:00.000-05:00

Today at work was one of the most emotionally confusing days yet. I can't figure out if God is trying to present me with a different career path or trying to teach me patience and perseverance. Is God reaffirming that all my training and doing and passion are in the right place or trying to tell me I'm wrong? Ack.

EDIT: In other news I make good choices on the whole with food, water, and pwning the girl "working out" on the elliptical next to me. It took every ounce of my being not to look at her and scream "Is level one half-ass the only setting you have?!?"

I continue to be mildly perplexed by the employment world but feel like I am back to running for the hills again which is an improvement since it means I have a vague idea which way to run.

EDIT EDIT: Calorie Count has a firefox toolbar. So far I like it.

2010-01-19T18:01:00.001-05:00

Rank tests are coming up and coming up fast. I am putting myself in training mode. I both love and hate training mode. I only have a few months and my other half has even less.

EDIT: Drank about 7 cups of water today. Hit the elliptical after iaido. Now I am hitting the showers. Also never try and do push ups right after eating a grilled snack wrap. It's a bad idea and you will quickly abandon the effort.

mlk monday

2010-01-18T13:33:00.000-05:00

No work of this quasi-gov't employee today. Hurray!! One less day where I have to sit in a building that gives me wicked headaches and makes me smell like old lady. Pilates video wasn't bad. I am gonna try drink lots of water and make some serious progress on a book while hanging out with Io on the couch.

EDIT: 8 glasses of water wooooo.

2010-01-16T14:00:00.001-05:00

I should be working out right now but all I can seem to focus on is my unnatural desire to redo the bathroom including a new paint color despite it not being in my budget.

2010-01-14T19:46:00.000-05:00

Another day of iaido. I pushed myself during drills and broke a sweat :) Also scorched 420 calories on the elliptical afterwards. Orange smoothie, new workout pants from target, delicious egg tortia wrap , then a shower, reading, and in bed early.

2010-01-13T21:02:00.000-05:00

So I managed to let the day slip by without a work out but I'll do iaido and cardio again tomorrow. Several errands/chores were accomplished and I am about to sit down a read-> something else I am trying to do more of this year.

sidenote- my calves feel like death.

two on tuesday

2010-01-12T21:28:00.001-05:00

1 hour of one on one iaido practice then a brief bit on the elliptical.

Also had a serious job talk this evening and feel a lot better now.

Hello Monday!

2010-01-11T19:08:00.000-05:00

So my dear, dear friend we'll call her Roxy blogged about her adventures towards cardio over the weekend. So how is going over here at the home base you ask. Well while attempting a new workout series on Saturday I became so irritated with teh smugness of on of the "example people" that I had to shut the video off to keep my mental cool. I am proud to say that despite my hissy fit I just popped in one of my older videos and did that instead. My food choices haven't been great and I didn't directly work out yesterday. I did however do a good deal of housework yesterday. Regardless Roxy has inspired me to try and cram in a workout before HIMYM.

EDIT: Make that after HIMYM. I am previewing the workout that I am going to try and I need to let my dinner settle before trying it or I'll be heaving in minutes. But feel free to ask me how the work out went so I don't pansy out.

EDIT 2: Dear god. That was crazy. I even skipped the 5 minutes of inverted things to avoid losing the dinner. But hey I did it.

Workin the net

2010-01-09T11:40:00.000-05:00

The search for new workout videos has begun. I currently have Slim in 6 which is great but I need some variety in my life or more Shaun T rather than Debbie. He just gets me more motivated. I'll be trying out several new programs and I'll let you know how they stack up. I am looking at various pilates, dance, and new beachbody videos. Time to hit the keyboard running.

Fighting for 15

2010-01-08T21:55:00.000-05:00

I have done a lot with my life in the last year and a half. I got my masters straight out of undergrad. I moved apartments three times. I moved in with my wonderful boyfriend and our animals. I wrote and defended my graduate thesis. I went to weddings, conferences, and workshops. And to top it all off I gained almost 15 pounds.

When I was down to lowest weight as an adult, I had a regular work out partner and we have since both moved away. He called me Bunny and so that is the sign off I will be using. If I place myself back in the mind set of Bunny and not the drastically underemployed woman who feels a little overwhelmed and lost at time I can find my way back to my lowest weight.

I have many reasons to bring back Bunny for 2010. Grad school while working 40-50 hours a week was so overwhelming that the energy, enthusiasm, and spunk that earned the nickname Bunny took a back seat to hours of thesis research and late nights. In 2010 I will be taking better care of myself, getting more sleep, making better food choices, reading more books, running more kata, doing more push-ups, and in the process hope to bring back Bunny.

This year I hope to find a job doing what I set out to do and finding time to look leaner and feel fitter. This little piece of the internet is where I will be leaving my little notes, frustrations and triumphs.

Bunny