MONDAY!
I was waiting to start the weekly chat until I could be at least semi-positive as I think it's important to try to start each week being positive!

I'm not a miss-happy-smiley-pants all the time, in fact I can be quite negative, so I'm not trying to make this a saccharine-sweet let's-all-be-happy weekly threat - just trying to inject a bit of positivity!

So my Monday is nearly over and I have finally broken my silly depressed and down mood. I'm not sure I've beaten it completely, but for now, right now, I feel pretty good. That might have something to do with the fact that I just completed one of my goals from the start of my journey (this is week 9 for me) - I went for a real, outside, on the footpath(sidewalk) jog/walk! I went 2.5 kilometres (1.5 miles ... oh... that sounds disappointing now haha) and it took me 24 minutes. I'm not sure if that's good or not. It was not easy I have to say. I could only jog for small segments and then had to slow to a fast walk until I caught my breath again. I got stitch/cramp in my ribs and such and pain in my throat (which is still there 30 mins later). I also got knowing looks and smiles from other people outside doing similar types of exercise! Which is great! Because I'd been so stressed that people would see me and kind of look at me in disgust or something...

Anyway I feel great! I feel like I've opened up a whole new form of exercise to myself! I feel like I now deserve, really really deserve, to relax for the rest of the evening!

I'm going to set a mini challenge (if I may be so bold) for this week for all you ladies. Even if it's something small, I challenge you all to do one new thing that might be outside your comfort zone. Even if it's something tiny like... trying a new food, eating something you wouldn't usually, working out a few minutes longer, giving yourself a compliment every day. I might be getting carried away in my post-exercise/achievement glow by doing this but it might be fun anyway.

Welcome to Monday September 13 my fellow 20somethings!

Rainbow ~ Congratulations on your run!!!! The cramps and hurting throat just means that you're working hard!!! I totally understand about the throat though. When I jog outside, I get the same thing and I usually cough/wheeze a lot too for awhile afterwards. I can go no problem on the treadmill, but once I'm outside, it's definitely more difficult than the treadmill.

It's Monday morning here in Boston (6:30am) and I am getting ready to head off to work. Since tomorrow is our election primaries, they close the schools so we just have a professional development day tomorrow. It's nice to think of a "break" tomorrow from the kids. It will definitely make today that much easier to get through. Plus, the PD day doesn't start until 8am....so I get to SLEEP IN tomorrow morning!!! haha It's sad that getting up at 6:30 is considered sleeping in

happy Monday!!! I hope everyone had a great weekend. I will be honest, I only skimmed the last couple posts from last week.

Date night with the hubby was good. We got dressed up. Just went to TGIFridays because I LOVE their Jack Daniels Grill. I got a steak, steamed zuchinni and steamed broccoli. I did have 2 Utimate Sangria's though. They were delicious!! Then we went to see Going The Distance (with Drew Barrymore and Justin Long) It was cute. The f-word was used a little much for my test, but there were definitely some funny moments. I made Taco Meatballs and Stuffed Chicken this weekend:

Stuffed Chicken Breasts
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
salt and pepper to taste
1 (15 ounce) container part-skim ricotta cheese
1 (10 ounce) package chopped frozen spinach, drained
1 clove garlic, minced
2 eggs, beaten
1 (8 ounce) package shredded low-fat mozzarella cheese, divided
1 (16 ounce) jar sugar-free spaghetti sauce
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper to taste. Slit open on the side for stuffing; set aside.
3. In a medium bowl, combine the ricotta, spinach, garlic, eggs and ¾ of the cheese. Mix well and stuff each breast with ¼ of the mixture; secure with toothpicks and place stuffed breasts in a lightly greased 9×13 inch baking dish. Pour sauce over all and sprinkle with remaining cheese.
4. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 45 to 60 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through and juices run clear.

Taco Meatballs - South Beach Diet Recipe

Ingredients:
• 1 1/2 lb ground beef (lean)
• 1 package taco seasoning mix (Taco Bell, Ortega, etc.)
• 1 green onion, finely diced
• 2 eggs
• 1 clove garlic, minced [optional]
• 1 block sharp cheddar cheese, cut into small cubes
Directions:
• Preheat the oven to 425°F.
• Beat eggs and mix all ingredients except the cheese together.
• Mold a Tablespoon of meat around a cube of cheese to form a small shaped meatball. Repeat with all meat.
• Place on edged cookie sheet (sprayed with PAM) and bake at 425°F for 7 - 10 minutes or until meat is done and cheese has melted.
Serves 10-15 people. Less than 1 carb per meatball.

I also made a Broccoli and Cheese breakfast casserole to eat throughout this week and I had peanut butter oatmeal yesterday for breakfast. YUMMY!!! I'm not down any from my Friday weigh in, but I've lost .5 inches from my waist and .75 from my thigh (I only measure the right one) since last week. YAY!

Casey- I <3 your nephew! So CUTE!!!!!

Rainbow - Yay for your jog! I hope you get over your down feelings soon! Those are never good. I was feeling that way last week, thats why I decided to ask DH out on our date. It did help lift my spirits!

Good morning, ladies! I was pretty quiet last week, but I'm stoked to start this week. I had an aweeeesome weekend.. catching up with a few friends Friday night, 12 hours of watching football Saturday, drinks with friends and midnight swimming Saturday night, and a lazy but somewhat productive Sunday. Not exactly on plan the whole weekend, but a totally refreshing and much needed fun weekend. Of course, college football is like Prozac to me, haha... the whole world seems brighter when the season returns.

Tonight we're going to Carrabba's for my niece's birthday. I'm not too concerned, I'll check over the menu before hand. Should be easy to pick something healthy and tasty.. I've finally hit that point where the not so good foods just make me feel so awful physically, mentally and emotionally, they just aren't worth it at this point. I'm making a concerted effort to make teeny changes, knowing they will add up. Things like having half a bagel instead of a whole one, drinking a glass of water before meals.. any little thing I can try to do without feeling like I'm depriving myself. I also discovered recommended portions are totally sufficient. We had spaghetti again, and in my effort to make it healthy as I can and still have him eat it, I had whole wheat pasta, and measured precisely what amounts of pasta and sauce I should have. It was wayyy less than I usually eat, and absolutely enough.

I just have to get my workout schedule fine tuned, and I'll be feeling pretty good about myself!

Rainbowstripe: love the idea of mini goals. This week will be starting the c25K because I'd like to start jogging and maybe even running someday. I think it'll be a great way to not only aid the weight loss process, but be able to maintain it later down the road.

Jenn: Your recipes always sound soooo good! I'm going to have to try some of them soon.

Was able to stay on plan minus 2 vodka tonics this weekend. The self esteem is getting after turning down a guy I used to like that wasn't any good for me. Funny how they always have a way of popping back up. It's easy for me to fall back into the cycle, but this time I said no! Felt great. Met up with another guy that I met up with a few times in the past but decided to be friends with after not having any connection. It was going well until he tried to kiss me 10 times! No means no! I felt so violated. Needless to say won't be meeting up with him again. I tried to be nice about maintaining a friendly relationship, but that's clearly not possible. Not going to lie, I was flattered at first with the compliments, but soon became disgusted by the lack of tact.

Nonetheless, feeling stronger emotionally and physically with each day. Hoping it stays that way. New week, new successes!

I really am hoping for a better week this week!

rainbow- Score on the run!! Starting off doing any running is a big deal, dont lose sight of that! I get down on myself running outdoors (which note i've done once since i gained weight, so i'm in the same place!) b/c i am so slow and feel "icky" and when this super fit guy lapped me i got down on myself-but its really just us that feel that way. Runners/walkers i think are a pretty friendly bunch. Being out there is what counts.

Chele- Ah, i was complaining having to get up prior to 7, just 2 days a week! M-F i get up @ 8 and thats rough enough for me!

jenn- Sounds like a great night! Those stuffed chicken breasts look good, and the breakfast casserole sounds right up my alley.

Amanda- Can't say i'm a big college football fan, but i'm glad you enjoy it-this is a fun time of year for those that do! Glad you had a good weekend to!

naija- Thats great that you were able to do that with that guy, awesome! You should be really proud of yourself. Sorry to hear about that experience w/ that other guy, whats with dudes not respecting boundries! Well plenty of fish in the sea!



I am going to the gym soon, and after that...
I MUST go study. Test tonight.

And just re-posting this b/c it was the end of the other thread.
rainbow- Aww, your such a sweetheart.
And i suppose in some round about way this is for the best since my drinking became such a problem, but for the longest time (years) i used drinking as a substitute for well, eating much at all (suppose that um, kept me so thin. er) but when i drink now-i want to EAT. I mean 85%+ of my weight gain came due to that fact. So yeah, i have to watch it. That and i've acted A FOOL drunk one (x a million) too many times. Doesn't make me miss it any less. Oh and 97% of the personal things i shared, when i was drinking.
Those beans sound divine! Yum yum. So many frozen meals have SO much sodium, i mean some of course will w/sugar etc, but the sodium content is notoriously high in frozen meals. I almost never have them for that reason, but that's just me. I used to have them all the time and did well w/my eating- cals in are the biggest imo but i just am very careful w/my sodium.

Rissa- Yeah i do have a lot going on, lol. I swear i'm going to get through it somehow!
I read through that, and i admire you that much more. It's awesome to really own up to things, and use really trying moments to propel yourself forward. I cant even begin to think of the million of times certain moments cause me to break down, and all i did was to further allow myself to wallow in it. Go ahead! I have (ha i was going to say a *few* lol) so many things tied into my issues w/my insecurity and how i tend to have that be this negative filter on everything, esp in the ways i interact w/others. For me, i turned to drinking and a lot of other things to seem "on" and while for years i had this super duper active social life and was busy all the time (i think im taking my social isolation experiment a bit far now lol) but i never ever felt i "fit" in at all. It took a long time and a big fall from grace for me, but until i start to deal w/the core issues that led me to where i am, all one can do in the best situation is repeat the same mistakes. Change is hard, but so worth it. I am so slow in trying to make my point!
We're here to support you! (i don't think i ever finished a 10k that fast, so i need to make that a goal of my own!)

casey- Girl, i've never in my life managed one drink at a bar! I mean ok i'm a bit of an extreme, but its hella hard to do for anyone imo!
Score on avoiding McD's!! Another score of being on plan the next day too.
And really even after my direct experience, i still struggle w/ "what" to say to anyone, what means the most is kind words, and i appreciate them. I just try to tell myself that all i can do after losing them is be able to work harder to get to a better life for myself-it would be really sad to not use what i've learned to help others.
*People's views on weight*
Yeah its odd. I mean i'll definitely be much happier when i lose another 15, but I fully intend to work to lose more then that. She's only seen me heavy, so seeing that picture of me was i am sure a shock (though even more so b/c i was actually quite thin in that one picture. i hate to even admit it here, b/c again it alludes again to my major fail of gaining so much- i was under 120 in the one pic. but i had been at that weight for some time)
It's just odd. I mean i'm all for people focusing on health, and not a number. Buuut, i think as america as a whole has become increasingly overweight, what was once not considered that thin, those same people might get "eat a burger you skinny bi$ch" comments all the time. It's not right on either end. That and at the same time you'll have people instead of just being complimentary, be a mixture of a lot of things...some threatened, some perhaps upset that they themselves are having trouble losing (or just gained, etc), on and on. Weight is a topic that is so warped in our society it is beyond insanity.
One thing i hope to get a handle on better this time around is dealing better w/not putting too much stock into how other people view my weight. When i was 20 i had gained a good deal (my previous hw was 178. i, though in none too healthy of a manner, lost a good deal of weight very quickly) and after i lost a good chunk of it the way people changed how they treated me still is screwing w/my head to this day (hmm. perhaps another reason i isolated myself due to my weight gain, etc). I just want to work to get to an ideal place for me, and it really IS a mental war path. But i mean again it got me thinking even more b/c i really did screw up and go so totally off in the wrong direction by gaining so much, and a few of her comments today got me thinking b/c she was alluding to "learning to accept myself" at my current size. Which i do get that, but at the same time, it shouldn't be a case of her suggesting that i didn't worry about losing more weight, when to be my healthiest i'd have to!
Yea to a 5k!
Sorry i have a LOT of thoughts about that!
And yeah honks can be quite annoying, but let me tell you after i gained so much i have honestly missed them! So yea for your NSV!

Me
Eh. Ok. I am really upset w/myself b/c i am not as on top of my school work, i NEED to be studying, but here i am posting online. For the most part all the classes i'd ever taken (and really only had taken 5/6 college classes and that was 8 YEARS AGO) i never had to study for. It's like i never "learned" that skill, and i really need to now. I have 2 tests, and i am totally unprepared for one. One i will cram for and its bio and its mainly memorization so i should be ok. After that i MUST focus and set aside time ON THE REGULAR to study. I just, i am having a really really really hard time focusing on anything. It's really concerning me.
Also i did not exactly have a good day yesterday, goodness i am the queen of doom-and i don't want that to be the case. I ended up actually hanging out w/the girl i used to work w/ (note i have not done anything w/anyone socially since-and i kid you not-june) and we went to the restaurant i used to work at. And i drank. Not a good idea for me (and i wasn't horrible in what i ate, but it wasn't great either. i mainly had just sashimi, but later on as i was leaving a had a few pieces of shrimp tempura which is totally and completly off plan and i now i went over my cals that day. i gained .4 which isn't massive, but the last 4 days prior i had consistent losses, so i messed that up totally) It was just really weird, i actually got hit on and asked out. See, now that just opened up a lot, b/c it made me realize that no matter how i try to pretend to myself i don't miss romantic relationships of any sort, i do. I was a relationship junkie, and i put almost all of my self worth into being "desirable" for the prior 6.5 years of my life. And i miss being "pretty" (which seems so conceited to say, b/c then i am actually saying i used to in fact be that which well, i feel no matter what i can't "say"). I just felt odd, and all like, this poor dude is so desperate to hit on me, etc etc etc. And then i drank more b/c he joined our table, and i just got further down on myself and wound up calling my mother (oh so sad) to pick me up b/c everyone was going out after that and i just wanted to be alone.
I just, i have a lot of work to do. I wish i had a better handle on myself and didn't have melt downs like that, but i have to remind myself i am trying to make serious life changes and need to do what i need to do to stay on track. Going out like that is not what i'm ready for. I told her next time we'd have to do a movie night-but well that's not high up on her activities. Sadly the few people i met here don't seem to want to do anything but drink. Oh well.

The scale said 159.4 this morning I literally did a happy dance (naked) in the bathroom. I haven't seen the 150's in over a year! Yay! I'm not making it official yet. Because, Thursday is my official weigh in day... it's the only way I don't obsess over the scale.

Rainbow: I like the positive post! My mini challenge will be to run an extra 5 minutes today

Chele: Yay for sleeping in. I LOVE sleep. It's one of my favorite hobbies. This is usually what I do on Sundays. I sleep in AND take a nap later in the day.

Jenn: You would be so proud of me.. I cooked a new recipe last night. Like I've been saying I was going to do for 2 weeks now lol. I took a recipe and kind of made it my own. It was turkey chili and had kind of a southwest twist to it. I just took all of the ingredients and threw them in the crock pot and let them cook for 3 hours. The ingredients were:
Ground turkey (of course I browned it first)
Diced Tomatoes
Tomato Paste
Taco Seasoning
Chili Powder
Oregano
Diced Onion
Dash of Cinnamon
Salsa
Green Chili
Beef Broth
Chili Beans

I think that's it. Anyway, I sprinkled low fat cheese on top, put in a few tortilla strips (salad toppers), and a dollop of low fat sour cream. It was DELICIOUS. It was hard not to go back for seconds. But, I'm looking forward to a bowl for supper tonight.

Amanda: I am totally with you on the real fatty foods not being worth it anymore. I've found that if I don't even enjoy eating them, because I know how much I will regret it. I crave french fries like crazy though. So here is what I do... I order my yummy salad, or soup, or whatever I can find. And eat a few fries off of my boyfriends plate. Because, I know if I order them I will eat every last one!

Naij: I'm so glad you are feeling stronger ... Sounds like the boy you were with was a creeper. Good for you for turning him down.. even if it took 10 times lol.

Cata: I'm happy to hear you went out! I'm sorry it didn't go as well as you hoped though. I hope you can meet some friends that will ease you back into the social scene.. sounds like you got thrown in full force and it was a little too much.
Studying is hard. I've never been a good studier. My first 2 years of college I didn't study much at all.. I didn't get outstanding grades but I got by. The last 2 years I had to get a little more serious because I was in my core classes and I had to bring the GPA up. I found that I had to lock myself in a room with no TV, no sound, no people, nothing, and that is the only way any kind of information could sink in. I think you just have to find what works for you. Good Luck! It sucks, I know

Casey - YAY for the 150's!!!! Hopefully i'll be joining you there soon! That turkey chili recipe sounds yummy. I love crock pot meals. My crock pot is really big so I always have lots of servings left over. I like to freeze them in individual sized tupperware. Great for lunches!

~*Rainbow*~ great job on the running! I've been kicking my own *** on the treadmill but I'm still shy about running around my neighborhood.

~*Jenn*~ Your welcome to come cook at my house any time! Those chicken breasts sound fabulous!!

~*Casey*~ A pre-congratulations to your joining the 150's !!

~*Cataclysmic*~ When I first got to college I had no idea how to study ether. My best advice is to review what you've gone over in class every evening - even if you just look over your notes or re-read a chapter that was discussed. I was the queen of post-it notes, and in every book I would write little notes or drawings to remind myself of important points, or things I had trouble retaining.
I'm a visual person (I majored in classical animation so that's a bit of an understatement) but I found drawing diagrams really helpful, even in history class, or writing classes. I could never remember Heleotropes or Zoetropes but if I drew little monsters with those names I could remember that.
Sometimes I even wrote songs to remember things- like the connections and names of muscles and bones.
If something is funny-or ridiculous it's much easier to remember. It also makes studying far less depressing!

~*~ As for me my mini victory today was adding 5 minuets to my treadmill run. I can now run for 15 minuets before slowing down and regaining my composure to run again. I hope by Christmas to go the full 30 minuets without walking then build from there!
Happy monday chicks! I hope your days are filled with magic and sparkles !

Cata – I have broken down in the past, but breaking down has not gotten me anywhere. So I decided to try a new approach. My mantra “Happiness is Me” has helped me through a stop my negative thoughts from spiraling. That, I am quite please about. I have often felt like I did not fit in. I realized that sometimes I actually did not fit in and sometimes it was all in my head. It is hard being the age that we are that a lot of people just want to go out and drink. But trust me, there are people out there that do not drink that much. I love hanging out with my friends that barely drink. There is no pressure and I never have to explain why I am not drinking or why I am just having one drink. How often do you weigh
yourself? And dude, I cannot study either. Right now what I am doing is the equivalent of a masters degree and I still have those feelings of “I should be studying right now”. Try breaking up your studying into smaller chunks and try different study styles until you find one that works. And remember, you might have to change your study style depending on the type of class.

Rain, I like the positivity!!! All that matters is progress for your run. I run too, and I try not to compare my speed to anyone else because there will always be someone faster than me and that is ok. All that matters is that I improve. Right now I run 9mins on and walk for 1 min. And I am up for that challenge!!! I am not sure what my one thing is, but when I do it, I will let you ladies know!!

Amanda, congrats on the tiny changes!!!! Keep it up!!! Did you like the whole wheat pasta? I love whole wheat pasta!

Casey, congrats on the 150s!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And that turkey chili sounds good!

Had a great(ish) weekend. Friday night and Saturday morning I relaxed. Went to the gym and my friend came over. I made her one of my green smoothies (which she did like). She is trying to lose weight, so it was great talking to her about it. Although something she said got me thinking “I don’t know how anyone can not be overweight”. I looked at her and said something. But, part of what she said is true. It can be hard to go from obese to overweight to healthy. There are lots of things and cues in our society that make it difficult. But if you change your focus and change how you see and utilize food, it is possible. I think it takes time, but the average person can be a healthy weight and body composition. She is just starting out, so if she is keeps at it and educates herself, I know that she can do it.

Saturday afternoon/evening I spent with the b/f. It was our 5 month anniversary. We went to an art gallery and then made dinner together. Our movie was interrupted by a friend in need. One of his friends go towed and needed to get picked up from work and driven to the lot to get his car. Unfortunately, by the time I got back, I was practically sleeping in bed. Sunday was spent studying and relaxing. He made dinner. It was good, but a bit too spicy. Tonight is drinks and appies with friends. A chain restaurant in Canada has a girls night. With tomorrow being my weigh in, I need to be mindful. I am unofficially in the 180s and I want to stay there as of tomorrow.

I also had a great run. Ran 3 miles (4.82 km) in 42 mins. That is a good sign for my 8km in early October. I like the training program I am on. It is challenging but not too challenging that I feel like I cannot do it. Ok, I went over on my lunch hour – back to work for me!

Jenn ~ Thanks for the recipe ideas....the stuffed chicken breasts sound really good!!!! I might have to try them one night. My mom (I still live at home) might not know what to do with herself if I cooked one night, but it sounds like something all of us would eat.

Amanda ~ Have fun at your niece's birthday

Cataclysmic ~ My alarm goes off at 5am every morning....granted I set it 20 minutes early so that I can hit snooze for 20 minutes, but still. Anything before 6am should be outlawed! haha

Caseygail ~ I need to learn how to nap LOL Congrats on the 150's and that turkey chili sounds like it would be awesome on cold fall days!

Risssa ~ Congrats on the run today. I am trying to get back into my jogging, but I have only ran 2 miles or less at one time. So, my next goal is to eventually up my jogging to a 5K distance. We shall see though.

Chele I think the throat pain was due to the cold air! It's supposed to be the beginning of spring, and while it is warming up a bit, it's still pretty chilly in the evenings. And yeah - I coughed and wheezed most of last night before bed too haha - I keep calling myself Ween (a dog from the Hayao Miyazaki animated film Howl's Moving Castle) because he is wheezy haha.
Yay for your PD day! My sister is a teacher so I know how important those days are - you can plan lessons and have a day off from kids!

jenn Sounds like a fun date night! I think I might actually finally try one of the delicious recipes you always post - I keep meaning to but forgetting! Those taco meatballs sound good and I think my dad would like them too. Congrats on the inches lost! I am lazy with measuring but should probably start doing it more often - I think I'm definitely losing inches at the moment but not seeing a scale difference. As for the down mood, that's also why I planned an outing this coming weekend for my boyfriend and myself! I'm looking forward to it!

Amanda Yay for awesome weekends! I think they make the always approaching Mondays a little easier to deal with. It's awesome that you're making small changes and feeling good about them! I need to learn to do something like that with bagels, for me it's all or nothing, hence why I've only had one in the past 8 weeks! I can't justify all those calories - but half the calories doesn't seem quite so bad!

naija C25k intimidates me! My boyfriend keeps suggesting I start it or look into it but I'm pretty scared I won't be able to keep up. I'm not saying no forever, just saying no for now - I think I'm going to start up with jogging/running in my own way and see how it goes! I hope it goes well for you though, it's apparently really good. Sorry about your experience with the pushy guy! Some of them just don't know when to quit, it's frustrating!

Cata Wishing better week vibes your way! I still feel really proud that I actually got out there and exercised last night - so I know it's not the tiniest achievement (at least for me). I probably didn't jog for any longer than 3-4 minutes at a time but I know I can improve on that now tht I know being outside in the neighbourhood isn't as scary as I thought!
Good luck for your test! I hope it goes/went well!

Casey Congratulations on being in the 150s!!!! YAY YOU!! You're so close to your goal, you'll probably leave us! Heh. And yay for the mini challenge! That turkey chili recipe looks really really good - and I finally managed to track me down some ground turkey last week, I bought 4 packs to freeze so I might just have to give that recipe a go!

Number8 Thanks for the encouragement on the running! I wouldn't quite call it running yet but I am proud - and I was just like you and still kind of am, shy to be out exercising in my neighbourhood. I feel like people will look at me more if I'm exercising than they would if I was just out walking around to go to work or with no purpose. It's odd. My boyfriend (I live at his place most of the time) lives in a pretty affluent area and there are always a lot of very fit and very polished looking pretty people out and about in their immaculate workout clothing. It's intimidating!
Congrats on your mini victory! I can't even keep up a jogging pace for 5 minutes, let alone 15, so I am in awe! I hope to get to that stage one day! GO YOU!

Risssa Being positive actually feels pretty good, but kind of unnatural. I'm going to try to keep this frame of mind more often and perhaps it will become more natural and normal - and why shouldn't it be!
I am definitely not comparing my speed to anyone elses, for me right now it's more about the fact that I'm actually out there making an effort! I would love to get to your point with the 9 min run/1 min walk but I think that is a while off for me.
Glad your 5 month anniversary was fun aside from the interruption. I hope the girls night is fun and that the weigh in is on your side tomorrow!

~~

I woke up with extra sore muscles in my legs this morning and I still have a mild buzz from the achievement I feel from exercising outside! I think it's kind of ridiculous and I need to make it something that is more normal haha, but for now I'm going with the good feeling because it's nice to feel good!

I'm going to try to go again after work today. It depends on the weather though, and with the sore muscles I'm thinking that perhaps it might be harder still. But I'll try. Later on tonight I'm going to the movies with my boyfriend and a friend of ours - we've been meaning to see Inception for SO SO long so we're finally going to go.

Wed and Thurs are my full days off work during the week and I'm considering going into my painting studio on Thursday but I still feel like I'm in a creative rut so I'll see how I feel when Thursday rolls around. I have what I would even start to paint so I don't know right now...I feel like I'm wasting the rent money on the studio though, and I don't like that feeling of wasting money.

Today I also feel like a hungry beast. I am so hungry! It's ridiculous. Luckily I don't have too much food at work, only what I planned to eat, and I don't want to go out and spend any money so I won't, I'll eat what I've got and that will be that!

Chel – check out runners world for programs. I bought a book on running by the authors/editors of runners world and that is the program I am following to run 8km. My goal, once I reach that distance, is to maintain my cardio at that distance. I might to a race in November, but I might not race again until april – a 10 km. The Vancouver Sun Run. Apparently its one of the biggest 10km races. Follow a plan and you can do it!

Rain – I view my positive attitude (well, now I do) like a workout. How many people can wake up one day and be like “I am going to run a marathon”. Not many. For the rest of us, it takes practice. And for me, maintaining a positive attitude takes practice. Enjoy inception!!!! I loved it!!!

Rainbow ~ Your sister is lucky!!! We don't get to do any work that would be beneficial to our students during PD days. LOL We basically sit in meetings all day long listening to things that, in theory, are helpful but don't always find their way into the classroom. But the no kids part is nice

Well i started out this morning in one of my cute new shirts, some semi-new pants. Looked good, felt good. Then as I was putting little ones milk cup in the microwave, I dropped the cup and milk when EVERYWHERE!! So much for my cute outfit Now I have to go home tonight and wash it and hope the shirt doesn't stain.