Another weekend, another challenge...

This weekend I'll be travelling to Louisville for the IU Baseball Regionals. I'm very excited to go as this is only the second time in school history that they've made it to regionals!
Having lived in Cincinnati for so long, my family often took weekend trips to Louisville. We've been to many Bats games and seen the sights, so I'm pretty comfortable with travelling there. Luckily this weekend we're much closer to IU than last, so some of JJ's friends/classmates/Athletic Trainers, and my psrents and sister will be able to attend the games! (and I won't have to sit alone! yay)


I'm really excited to get out of town for another weekend, but at the same time, I'm not good with switching up my normal weekend schedule. Usually I do 5 mile runs on Saturday and Sunday, get in my good, long workouts, maybe indulge a little with food, but my exercise makes up for it. Since I'm going to be out of town, food is always sketchy as well as exercise. However, I've been planning ahead for the weekend. Last night I went to Kroger and stocked up on some fruit, veggies, hummus, yogurt, and oatmeal. I know that for breakfast and lunch I can stick with my normal routine, so that's comforting. Luckily JJ eats with the team so I don't have to go somewhere with him and try to find something healthy, and I don't spend any money!


As far as exercise goes, Louisville has a really nice running loop that is being built around the entire city. We're staying at the Galt House, which has great access to the Riverwalk area so I know I'll be able to get in 2 good, long runs on Saturday and Sunday. I'll probably bring the shred with me so I can do that in the hotel room quickly for some extra strength training.


Now what takes this from working weekend trip to borderline vacation??
THIS!

Yes, my friends, that is a ROOFTOP POOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
And it is where I plan to spend my Saturday and Sunday as long as the games aren't going on. I know it's a stretch calling a pool a vacation, but I haven't had a real vacation in 4 years... so I'll take anything!!


So I'm feeling really good about making great choices during the day and getting my exercise in, the only point I'm worried about is nighttime, after the games, going out (and hopefully celebrating!


So one more time, wish us luck, they might make school history! GO HOOSIERS!!!!!!!!!

Life in fast forward...

When JJ and I first moved to Bloomington, I hated my job, had no friends, and knew we would only be here for 2 years or so, do I didn't want to get invested.

What a horrible way to live life. And I am so sad I wasted a whole year of my life like that.

Last summer, I found a new job that I LOVE, met new people and established relationships, and got a little more involved in the community. It has been one of the best years of my life. I'm pretty shocked that during that year I was able to lose as much weight as I did because I was unhappy, but at the same time, I totally isolated myself and working out and eating right was my main focus. I've finally learned that there is balance between health, fitness, life, friends, love, family, fun times and money.

Well let me tell you, I am not happy about moving, but I'm not sad. I don't want to leave my friends, job, home, running trail, grocery stores, etc., but at the same time I'm excited for a new start. I wish it didn't take me 1/4 of my life to realize these things, but it's better that never, right?

I think the mindset change is most evident in the past 2 weeks. Work has been SO hectic, it was my birthday, and IU went on to win the Big 10 Tourney in baseball. It was a struggle, but I kept the balance and had the most wonderful 2 weeks of my life, and it is probably the perfect way to end our life in Bloomington (we still have 2 months until we move though).

So here is a photo of JJ and I at my birthday dinner. The team played Michigan State in baseball earlier in the day, I went to the game and they won! Then we went out with a few of the other trainers. I had such a fun night!

On my desk at work for my birthday was this: A bunch of bananas with a candle. My wonderful boss and co-workers know that I'm trying to be healthy and lose a little more weight, so rather than get the normal birthday cake, they brought in a fruit/veggie platter and this!

It seriously made my day!

JJ's gifts for me were a flower arrangement sent to my office and then this knife sharpener and a new santoku knife. He likes to tell me that he only ever says my cooking is 'ok' so I don't get a big head and so I keep trying new and better things... haha. I love him so much.

This brings me to the past weekend. WHAT A WEEKEND! I was having such a hard time deciding if I should drive up to Columbus, OH for the Big 10 Baseball Tourney. IU was the #3 seed, but we knew they were going to do really well. Money is super tight for us right now, and I had to stay at the hotel where the team was if I wanted JJ to stay in my room, plus I had to do something with Pumpkin for the weekend, and it was a 5 hour drive... I was so torn about going or not.

JJ and I decided that if they made it to the championship game, I'd just go to that and stay one night at the hotel. My mom, who is so awesome and I love so much, offered to meet me in Dayton and pick up Pumpkin so I wouldn't have to drive an hour out of the way and drop her off in Cincinnati. Plans worked out perfectly. The game was wonderful, and they WON!!!!!

IU seriously was just unstoppable, they outscored their opponents 47-9 in 4 games, had a .414 batting average for the team, and their pitching was amazing. They totally deserved it, and I am so happy I was there to witness it.
(JJ is kneeling in the bottom right, wearing khaki shorts)

Sometimes I struggle with going out of town and letting food get the best of me. This weekend I was determined to NOT let that happen. I was feeling skinny on Friday morning, and I weighed in at 171.5, and I'm so so so so determined to make it into the 160's by June 1, so I let that thought sit in my mind all weekend. I packed the cooler with fruit, yogurt (Oikos Honey is my new OBSESSION, it's SO GOOD!), and some other good food.

On Saturday, JJ and I went to Mongolian BBQ for lunch. I love going there because you go through a bar and pick out what you want and they cook it on the flat top in front of you. I filled a giant bowl with tofu, broccoli, snap peas, water chestnuts, peppers and bean sprouts. It was the most delicious meal I've had out in a long time, it was so healthy, and I felt so good getting that many veggies in at lunch because I knew all night I'd be at the ballpark and my choices would be limited.

Here comes the shocker of the night... Usually when I'm emotional, I eat. Happy/sad/nervous/mad, no matter the emotion, I eat. I did not get a single thing at the ballpark even though I was so nervous and happy and excited. I had a diet coke, water, and a banana that I snuck in. Seriously, I'm so proud of myself. Sometimes when people say do you worry the weight will come back on, I say HELL NO! And here's why, weight loss and healthy lifestyles are 90% mental and 10% physical in my opinion. I've got it in my brain what's right and wrong, what's healthy and not, and now I can control my emotional ties to food. I can be sensible and think through cravings. For 2 years now I've been living this way, and I'm not going back. I'm too happy and too set in my ways to go back.

On Sunday morning, I went down to the hotel's fitness room. I got on a treadmill, hoping to do 30 minutes. After 5, I was bored to death. I didn't want to run around the city, but the arena district is actually really safe and nice, so I decided to go run around there. I found a cute little park that had a .5 mile loop, so I ran that a few times and then looped around the ball park and area, I ran about 30 minutes. Then I found a Starbucks and read the paper. I'm an early riser, this was around 7:30 am, no way JJ was going to be getting out of bed anytime soon...

It was a wonderful morning, wonderful weekend, wonderful birthday, etc.

Hope you all have a fantastic Memorial Day weekend!

Next Monday my little Pumpkin Spice turns 4!

Happy Birthday ME! (And a 5 Year Photo Recap)

Happy 24th Birthday to me!
I absolutely LOVE birthdays, mine and everyone else's! I love celebrating them, making cakes, and living it up! This year, I am so excited about my birthday for so many reasons.
I don't like to look at many old photos of myself because I'm embarassed, sad, and angry, but I decided to look at the past 5 years of birthdays to do a little LOOK AT ME NOW!


So let's take a little looksie! I tried to find every photo of me with my traditional Pumpkin Pie (birthday cake) but I couldn't find them digitally already on the computer.

24 Years YOUNG: 173 lbs

and looking good in horizontal stripes, something I avoided when overweight!

23 Years: 195 lbs., had been only focused on cardio, since last year at this time I started doing strength training. My arms have really toned up since then!

(Note: Those are NOT my onion rings!)

22 Years: 238 lbs., 2 months into my weight loss journey, down 15 lbs!

21 Years: 230-ish , had just lost 10 lbs. for my sister's wedding, thought I looked great. Did not.

20 Years: 245-ish, College = where I gained so much weight

So there ya have it. I don't have more than 5 years back on the computer, and photos are at my parents house.

This year I feel better than any other birthday. Things are really hard for us right now, so I'm so thankful that I'm healthy and in a great mind-set otherwise.

I'm so thankful to my wonderful husband for his continued support, and especially my parents and sisters who have always been the best.

Feeling Guilty...and group chat tonight!

I know, I've been really bad about posting, but I did warn that I'd be BUSY!!!


Over the weekend was graduation/Mother's Day. It was a great, fun weekend with both sets of parents here, but it was BUSY and I'm exhausted. I feel like all I did was cook and clean, and on Saturday I got some kind of stomach bug and did not feel well the rest of the weekend.


Surprisingly even though I took off workouts on Sat. and Sun., and ate a little more than usual, I don't feel like I gained more than a pound or two. I haven't stepped on the scale though... I'll wait until Friday.
I know it's going to be hard though, because my BIRTHDAY IS THIS WEEK!!!! and I love celebrating my birthday... and I have a few celebrations planned with lots of dinner and cakes and such... but I'll try so hard!


Things should die down here pretty soon for a month or two (then we move) so I'll try to get some more health, fitness and diet info in here, I still need to recap my superfoods month, and hit up the library...


Anyway, group chat is TONIGHT AT 8PM EST (during the biggest loser finale)
See you there! www.chatroll.com/ashisfit

Group Chat Moved....and Week 7

Hi Everyone! Since Mother's Day is Sunday, I'm going to postpone group chat to
TUESDAY, MAY 12 @ 8pm EST (during The Biggest Loser Finale!)


As always, group and non-group members are welcome.


Week 7 stats...
Loss: -.5lbs
Cumulative: -1.5lbs
Eh, I'm apathetic towards it. Stressful work week and eating out have not helped. Also I'm having some serious knee pain, I'm going to have JJ take a look at it tonight.
This weekend will be rough food-wise, hopefully I'll get a long run in on Sunday...
Have a nice mom's day, all!


Hopefully Pumpkin ::cough::JJ::cough:: will do something nice for me ;)

PFP Results!

Please go report your weight-loss at the Pound For Pound Challenge website by TOMORROW!
And also, please comment here with how much you've lost and pledged, I'd love to know how our group did!


Thanks!!!

Week 6 Weigh-In!

Week 6: -.5lb
Cumulative: -1lb


Not a great week :( I gave blood on Monday, and the rest of the week my exercise was HARD. I had to take off Monday and then when I started BFBM on Tues, I was so winded and lightheaded I had to stop. Even this weekend, my long runs were really hard. I've heard that giving blood makes you feel winded easily for a week, and this time I feel like I had the side-effects more than any other time.
I'm guessing stress+blood donation+heat=bad workouts.


However, I'm feeling great today! I CLEANED THE CRAP out of my house this weekend. I threw away all the clutter and scrubbed on my hands and knees, and somehow cleaning like that almost cleaned all the emotional crap out, too. I'm feeling much, much better about everything. Taking it one day at a time, not stressing about the stuff I can't change, etc.


Also, JJ's traveling during weekends with baseball (except for the Big 10 tourney) is over, so it will be nice having hime home for dinner :)


Now, no one was at the group chat last night (or if you popped in but didn't say anything, I didn't see you) but I left the window up and checked in and out from 7:45 - 9:00.
I'm totally not mad about it, I understand everyone is busy, but I was kind of bummed. Also, how is everyone doing? Are people less motivated now that I don't post weights and things? I'm a little worried that a lot of people have dropped it or aren't going to finish. We're only on week 6! I know I haven't been the most wonderful leader, but I'm ready to step it up.
I want to really kick it into gear now. I'm not going to re-start the group, but if you're still motivated and working hard for it, please TELL ME!!! In the beginning I had tons of emails and such and now it's died down so much.
Talk to me, ladies!

Reminder!

Group Chat tonight, 8pm EST - www.chatroll.com/ashisfit


Please come and bring some topics!