Easter

Happy Easter Sunday!!

May you all be reborn with hope anew!

And may you all have a very blessed Easter!

Good Friday Pits and Peaks

Howdy y'all!

Happy Friday!!

We finally made it! It's a fabulous spring day here, 70's and some much needed rainfall in the forecast. Perfect weather for Easter weekend!

Today I'm linking up with Brin from www.boldbutterbaby.com for  her Pit and Peak link up. If you haven't taken a look at her blog, you should!!  So go check her out and link up with us regarding your Pit and Peak.

This week, my eating was the PITS!! 

I am totally out of control especially when it comes to sweets. Easter doesn't help matters any. Neither does the fact that I'm constantly being tempted by goodies that my wonderful marketers bring me. I usually exercise pretty good self control but all it takes is 1 cookie or piece of candy for me. I think these things are fine in moderation, as an occasional treat. But, I have a tendency to convince myself that its ok to do it more than occassionally, like every damn day!!  I justify it because "its ok, you're going to workout" So, in an attempt to get my eating under control again, I'm doing a sugar detox/diet reset starting Monday. I gave up diet soda and sweet tea for lent, so I'm thinking that if I can forgo those things for 40 days, I can stick to no candy, cookies, cake, chocolate, etc for 1 week.  I plan to cut out processed foods like breads and cereal bars, crackers as well as artificial sweeteners, including my beloved Crystal Light. I plan to flavor my water with lemon or lime slices and eat plenty of fresh fruit for my sweet fix! You're welcome to join me in my endeavor, if you wish.  I'll keep you posted on my progress!




Case in point!





Gateway drugs!


PEAK: it's been a fabulous week. The weather has been amazing! I even ran in shorts and a tank last night.
Work has been pretty uneventful this week, which is just the way I like it.

And that's it for me for now.

Have a great weekend and a very HAPPY EASTER!



So you want to be a runner??

So, you want to be a runner?

When I first thought about “becoming a runner” I didn’t have a clue where to start. I saw all my friends doing it and I wanted to do it too!! I know what you’re thinking, “If they jumped off a cliff, would you do it too”? Probably, if the cool kids were doing it!! I thought all one needed to become a runner was to throw on some athletic shoes and hit the pavement. I went to a running store for shoes; they watched me walk barefoot and told me I needed a neutral shoe. Ok, whatever you say, you’re the expert. They brought some shoes out for me to try on. They were ok but none of them were spectacular and I balked at spending $100+ on a pair of athletic shoes. So, I went to a sporting goods store, where I chose a pink pair of shoes because they were pretty and affordable. Newbie mistake #1!! When I started having low back pain, I never attributed it to my shoes, I just stopped running altogether.

About a year later, I decided to get serious about running again. I ran a couple of races in those pretty pink shoes but started having pain again so this time, I turned to a different running store for help and that was the best decision I ever made. They watched me walk barefoot and filmed me running on a treadmill. I was again told I needed a neutral shoe and was shown several choices. This time, I chose a shoe based on the way it felt on my foot. In addition to shoes and highly trained fitters, that running store had an array of gear and a training program for beginning runners. I signed up for that program the following week and I was on my way.

So, if you’re thinking about running but don’t know where to start, here are some tips:

SHOES: I can’t stress enough how important it is to have a new, properly fitting pair of shoes!! The wrong shoe can cause injuries. Shoes are expensive but much cheaper than MRI’s, co-payments, x-rays, etc in the long run.

CLOTHING: You might think any old t-shirt and shorts or sweat pants will do, but that’s not the case. Invest in some properly fitting, moisture wicking tops and bottoms to prevent chafing. Cotton is rotten!! Cotton retains moisture. When you sweat, it will become wet thus making you cold in the winter and heavy in the summer. I love the Nike miler shirts and tempo shorts. The shirts are soft and light weight. They come in a variety of colors and the shorts are just awesome! Ladies, make sure you invest in a GOOD sports bra. The girls need just as much attention as your feet do. If you find yourself needing 2 sports bras, you’re in the wrong bra. There are many good brands on the market, Moving Comfort and Champion to name a couple. If you have a running store in your area, get a proper fitting. Make sure that you have good moisture wicking socks to help prevent blisters. I prefer either Feetures or Balega brands. Lately, I've tried these Thorlo socks with pretty good results. Just make sure that your socks are 100% cotton free

PLAN: It’s a good idea to have a training schedule and stick to it!! Increasing distance, pace, etc too quickly can result in injury. There are several beginning runner apps available for smartphones or you can download a program from the internet. Check your area for running groups or stores that offer training programs. Honestly, running with a group helps with accountability.

GEAR: Other things that are optional but you might want to consider would include a belt to carry keys, phone, identification, etc. Spibelt makes a nice, lightweight one. You might want a hand held hydration system to carry water or Nuun (yummy, sugar-free electrolyte replacement) with you. Fuel belt and Nathan make good, lightweight ones to consider. A GPS watch will enable to know your pace and distance while running. I run with a Garmin 110 and my husband has a Garmin 10. I like these models because they are reasonably affordable and easy to operate. There are also smartphone apps such as Map My Run or Runkeeper if you want to check those out.

I’m sure I’m forgetting a lot of important info, but this will give you a good starting base. Most importantly, good luck and have fun!!

Working for the weekend

Hello, hello!! 

It's already Wednesday and we're halfway there!!  Woohoo!!

In case y'all can't tell, my favorite part of the week is the weekend. Every week, I feel like I'm trudging in quicksand. As the weekend gets closer, I trudge a little bit faster!!

Don't get me wrong, I like my job. I just like weekends more!!  :-)

Last night was speedwork @ the track night. It's quite an adeventure that I can't even really begin to explain. We were grouped based on our pace and given our instructions. We were running a "ladder workout" which consisted of:

1600m x 1

1200m x 1

800m x 1

600m x 1

400m x 1

200m walk/cool down between each set

We ended up running a total of 4.1 miles in 46:19 which is an average of 11:18/mile.

I really can't tell you what the splits were as I can't get my Garmin to upload any information. I'm not sure what's up with that but it is very frustrating!!  I'm hoping the charging cable has gone haywire and not the watch itself. I plan to call Garmin support later to investigate.

Afterward, a few of us went out to eat dinner. We asked Heather, a new girl that we met, to tag along with us and she was game!  She's a transplant from Texas and new to Tulsa. We were talking about Mexican food. She said she hadn't found any "good" Mexican food in Tulsa yet. So, we invited her to El Guapo. Tuesday night is dollar taco night. They sell their pulled pork street tacos, as many as you can eat for $1 each!!  Yummo and cheap dinner!!  It was really a lot of fun and just another reason I love my local running community!

We're having a potluck at lunch today for Social Work Month. That should be enjoyable. I really like my co-workers. And I think my boss is trying to keep us positive due to the recent layoff of one of our colleagues. 

I'm going to start meal/menu planning for next week as soon as I get my eMeals menu for the week. And that's all I've got planned so far for the day.

Have a wonderful Wednesday!!  :-)


Do you do any type of speedwork?
How do you keep track of your splits/time?

Finish the sentence link up

Hey y'all!!  We survived another Monday!!  YAY for us!! 

I actually had a pretty good, productive day at work with no major issues. Then I got a little retail therapy after work followed by a surprise visit from my kiddo.

He is "all grown up" and doesn't come visit the "old madre" very much anymore. But he was a good sport and watched The Voice with me last night. I think he stayed just so he could eat a home cooked meal  ;-)

Hopefully today will be smooth sailing too!! 

I've got speedwork at the track to look forward to tonight.

Have a fabulous Tuesday!!

The last "Finish the Sentence" linkup hosted by Jake over at www.thelifeofjake.com and Holly @ www.thestanfieldclan.com was so much fun, so I'm linking up with them again. Check them out here!!

1. If calories didn't count, I would eat...cinnamon rolls, cake and ice cream every day!!


2. On my Prom night....I felt like Cinderella and I partied like a rock star!! That's about all I can remember, because it was a long, long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away.........

3. When I go to the store, I always buy...toilet paper!!  I am like a doomsday prepper when it comes to TP. Ain't nobody got time to run out of that!!

4. Family functions typically...don't happen often enough in my family. I really wish we could/would get together more often.

5. I think my blog readers...all 25 of them probably cringe when they see I've posted a new post. They probably wonder what nonsense I'm going to be babbling about.......

6. I'd much rather be.....on a warm sunny tropical beach than getting ready to go to work this morning.

7. I have an obsession with....shopping. I've never considered myself very "fashion forward" but now that I wear "business casual" clothes to work, I'm constantly trying to step up my game. Yesterday I was even brave enough to mix patterns: plaid and polka dots.

8. My work friends....Are they most amazing group of nurses I've ever met!!  I'm so proud to be part of their team, saving lives every day.

9. When I created my Facebook account....I intended to "stalk" my son and see what he was up to online

10. My least favorite word is...Ok, I guess I'm old, but what is with shortening words when we speak. I realize it's easier for texting purposes, etc but does it really take that much longer to say jealous that it does to say "jelly" Come on, people. Quit butchering up the English language!!

11. I really don't remember....life being as good as it is right now. Don't get me wrong, there are struggles daily. But I'm truly blessed with a wonderful family, a loving husband, amazing friends and a great job. :-)

12. Justin Bieber....annoys me!! 

A recap and an obscure running tip

Hi all!!  Happy Monday, especially since it's half over already!!

I'm a little behind today!!

The weekend was a whirlwind, as usual!

We started our Saturday morning out with our long run. The group was running 12 miles, but we had to cut it short as we had family plans later in the day.

It was cold and drizzling but I was excited to get in the miles as we were taking a new route. I really enjoyed the first 5 miles of our run with our training group. The last 5 miles, on our own without the group, not so much! I was just glad to get them done!!  The drizzle seemed heavier, my IT band was being irritable and I always run better when I'm with our coaches and group.

After the run, we got some hot coffee and hot showers and headed to Oklahoma City to spend the day with my family. We were celebrating my niece's 2nd birthday. As usual, my sister in law put on a fabulous party! I always enjoy time spent with my family. We haven't had a good opportunity to visit with my brother and sister in law since Thanksgiving, so we stayed after all the other guests were gone. I enjoyed some time playing with my niece. We finally wrapped up the visit and headed for home around 8:30.

Before we left my brother's house, I was starting to feel under the weather, which I'm sure was from being out in the cold rain. Yesterday, I was still feeling kinda crummy so we did our grocery shopping but I didn't do my usual meal planning/prep for the week.

My training plans for the week include: vinyasa yoga, speed/track work tomorrow night and a 7 mile run on Saturday. I really wish I could find a Body Pump or weight training class that fits into my schedule. Until I do, I guess I'll have to continue to try to cross train on my own, even though I'm not very diligent about it.

My profound running tip of the day is: always unlace your shoes properly before you take them off. Taking off your shoes without untying them can destroy the integrity of the shoe by breaking down the heel cup.

And, with that little nugget, I'm outta here.  Have a fabulous rest of the day!!

Do you enjoy running alone our with a group?

Do you untie your shoes before you take them off?

Best that I can do.....

This has been the LONGEST. WEEK. EVER!

I wish I had some profound, thought provoking post for you today but I'm SO tired!!

This is the best I can do for ya:

"Always live for higher purposes, for universal goals. You were not born to serve the minor or mundane." Philip Arnold

Liebster award

I have been nominated for a Liebster Award by Jennifer over @ www.fatchick2fitchickblog.com and Kimmy @ www.thethingaboutdestiny.com. It is a fun little blogging chain letter of sorts that prompts a little Q&A between bloggers and a chance to share some of your favorite blogs.


HERE ARE THE RULES FOR RECEIVING THIS AWARD:

1.Each person must post 11 things about themselves.
2.Answer the questions that the tagger set for you plus create 11 questions for the people you’ve tagged to answer.
3.Choose 11 people and link them in your post.
4.Go to their page and tell them.
5.No tag backs!


11 things about myself:
1.  I'm the 8th nurse in my family
2.  My goal/dream is to run 50 half marathons, 1 in every state, before I turn 50
3.  I am deathly afraid of Sasquatch
4.  I am also deathly afraid of spiders
5.  I once got my arm broken by a cow
6.  I've been bitten by a squirrel and a goat (see a trend here??  I have trouble keeping my hands out off places they shouldn't be)
7.  I was a band geek in high school
8.  I want to be Jillian Michaels when I grow up
9.  I do not like to eat fish of any kind
10. I don't like to eat eggs either
11. My left foot is about a half size bigger than my right one ;)


My answers to Jenn's questions:   1.Who is your embarrassing celeb crush? If you only love the pretty publicly acceptable celebs who is your crush in general?  My embarrassing crush would be Billy Bob Thornton; my publicly acceptable crush would probably be Gerard Butler

2.Who is your favorite musician/artist/autotuned aficionado?  Adam Levine
3.What is your favorite book either of all time or book de jour? The Harry Potter books, especially the Deathly Hallows

4.What is the funniest memory you have? The first thing that comes to mind was about 12-13 years ago when I was working at a small rural hospital. One day, one of my co-workers got the "walking farts" after eating cheap Mexican fast food for lunch. She literally let one slip with every step she took all the way down the hall! I don't think I've laughed that hard since then.

5.What is the most important trait in a significant other? Honesty

6.If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go? Fiji

7.What did you want to be when you grew up? A doctor

8.If you could meet one person living or dead, who would it be and why? My great, great grandparents so I could learn about my family's heritage and history.

9.What talent do you wish you possessed? I wish I could draw or paint

10.What song would you blare at full volume and sing at the top of your lungs? Anything by Adele
11.If you could travel back in time, which decade would you visit and why? The 1950's....things seemed to be more simple and less rushed

Answers to Kimmy's questions:

1.Favorite Movie Quote? "Why do you want to marry me anyways? So I can kiss you anytime I want" Sweet Home Alabama


2.Most embarrassing Moment? Always being "out of step" in high school marching band and being called out by the band director

3.Biggest struggle as a human being?  Many! Confidence, indecision, keeping my mouth shut but also speaking up when I need to.......

4.Favorite Sport team? OKLAHOMA SOONERS!!

5.favorite exercise? Running

6.chocolate or vanilla? chocolate

7.favorite drink? water

8.best childhood memory? time spent at my grandparents house....they lived in the country. My siblings and I got to run, play and explore all over their property

9.what thumbprint do you hope to leave on this world when you go? I just want to be the best person that I can be

10.favorite type of music? I like all types of music

11.Paper or Plastic? Paper plates, plastic bags


My questions: 1. Favorite color 2. Biggest fear 3. If you had a warning label, what would it be?? 4. Favorite movie 5. Favorite food 6. Favorite holiday 7. If you had a super power, what would it be? 8. Beatles or Rolling Stones 9. Who is your hero?? 10. If you were stranded on a deserted island and could only bring 3 items, what would they be?? 11. What is your biggest challenge you face as an adult/parent??   And, finally, my nominees are:   1. Mallory @ http://malskeysthemusical.blogspot.com 2. Bobbie Sue @ http://abuildingweshallgo.blogspot.com/ 3. Megan @ http://megancard.com/ 4. Kelli @ http://kelliherrington.blogspot.com 5.  Christy @ http://www.christyruns.com 6. Melissa @ http://mylifeasafolz.blogspot.com 7. Amy @ http://runningescapades.blogspot.com/ 8. Jake @ http://www.thelifeofjake.com 9. Courtney @ http://3xacharmrunner.blogspot.com 10. Becka @ http://www.busybecka.com 11. Shelly @ http://shellynobelly.blogspot.co

Spring has sprung!

"If we had no winter, the spring would not be so pleasant; if we did not sometimes taste of adversity, prosperity would not be so welcome." ~Anne Bradstreet

I once had a patient tell me that the first sign of spring was when the forsythia bloomed. I was feeling a little discouraged because I hadn't seen any yet this year.

But last night, as if on cue, I saw it EVERYWHERE!!

 

Techinically, it is spring here in Oklahoma.

However, it looks like Mother Nature is going to make us wait a little bit longer to experience it.

We had a little tease last week and now this:

So, while I wait patiently for Mother Nature to make up her mind, I’ll leave you with this, another beautiful Oklahoma sunrise

 



Work and such

Yesterday was a somber day. During an early morning meeting, we were advised that one of our fellow case managers was laid off last week. This news really shook me up all day. It brought back some bad memories. In 2008, I was laid off from a job that I dearly loved. Being an RN, I was able to recover relatively easily. But, to this day,  I think I still have a little PTSD from the whole situation.  Being slapped in the face with the realization that it could happen to any of us and that I really don't have as much security as I thought I did just made me physically sick all day. I guess I'm just going to keep doing what I'm doing but I'm certainly going to be more mindful of my performance from now on. I hate having to look over my shoulder and not being able to trust!!

I went to the new gym after work but I really wasn't in the frame of mind to workout. It was big and over-whelming. The weight room, that I was most interested in, was predominantly full of men and didn't smell very good. I thanked them for the tour but opted not to stay for body pump or spin class. I guess I'll keep looking for another gym that suits me a little better. And perhaps, I would have been more open minded about it if work hadn't been so crap-tastic!!

I enjoyed the finale of The Biggest Loser. That was really close!! The contestants really worked hard and they all looked fabulous!!  Afterward, we watched "Bates Hotel" on A&E. It was good but a little creepy. I think I"ll enjoy it though.

I'm excited to get to try out these bad boys tonight! :-)

"If you give a girl the right shoes, she can conquer the world"

I'm sure hoping that's true!

Just a quickie

Good morning friends!!  We just have time for a quickie here (that's what she said).

Its been a busy few days!

Saturday morning began like normal, with me not wanting to get up and go workout. But, I did and as usual, was very glad I did!!

We ran 10 miles with our half marathon training group. I wasn't sure if I would be able to handle the 10 miles due to the blister issues and some persistent problems with my IT band and left hip, but I got 'er done!! It wasn't fast but it wasn't bad for my longest run in 3 months!!  We'll talk more about running injuries, both physical and mental damage later.

My foot (blister) was a little sore, but really not as bad as I thought it would be. I tried Injinji toe socks and Trislide lubricant. I think it was a successful combo!!

We went out to our favorite little hole in the wall Mexican restaurant Saturday night. Then we settled in to watch "The Rise of the Gaurdians" but neither one of us could stay awake.

Sunday, we got together with Jon and Paloma for lunch and some retail therapy. I got the meal prepping and laundry caught up. We wrapped our Sunday up with a bowl of sausage, kale and white bean soup while watching "The Bible" series on History Channel.

And, that folks, is a typical Unruh weekend; uneventful but successful.  I wish the weekends were longer.

I'm excited about trying a new gym tonight. I've been looking for a body pump and spin class that will fit in my schedule and I think I may have found it!!  It's a little further across town, so we'll see how it goes. And The Biggest Loser finale is tonight. I've just started to get into this show. I'm eager to see who will win!! 


Gotta go get ready for work. We've got a staff meeting at 9 am and I'm afraid it's not going to be good news. I know 1 of my co-workers was laid off the other day. :-( I'm hoping to get there early today and I'm going to keep my fingers crossed and hope for the best.

Race plans April 2013

Woohoo!!  I'm finally getting some races on my calendar. And that makes me happy, happy, happy!!

I signed up for the half marathon training program with Fleet Feet Sports Tulsa way back in December. At that time, I was supposed to have a "goal race" in mind. I was really hoping to run 2 of the 5 half marathons from the Dust Bowl series, but that's not going to happen this year. I really didn't have any other race goals so I was feeling a little frustrated. But, things are starting to look up as of today! It looks like I'll be racing nearly every weekend in April and May.

Here's what I'm planning to do so far:

April 6: Aquarium Run 10k, Jenks, OK. This is the graduation run for my Pathways group. I'm really looking forward to running this race with them :)

April  14: Hogeye Half Marathon, Fayetteville, Arkansas (if that doesn't pan out, I'm going to run the "Run with the Pride" 5k on April 13 to benefit the Pride of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma marching band)

April 20: Camp Barnabas Half Marathon, Springfield, Missouri--benefits Camp Barnabas, a camp for special needs and chronically ill children

May 3: Cinco de Mayo 5k, Tulsa, OK--this is one of my absolute favorite races. Good post race food, beer and margaritas!!

May 18: This is tough, I have to choose either Joplin Memorial Half Marathon, Joplin, MO or the Full Moon Run 5k in Tulsa, OK. This is also a very fun race!!  It also has a great post race food, beer and music. This year the band is a Van Halen cover band!!

That's all so far!!

What races are on your calendar in the future?! What is your favorite race distance?

This little piggy cried!!

I had hoped that I would be able to do a product review of my new Thorlo socks, but that will have to be another post.

One would think that with all my nursing experience, I would know how to prevent/treat blisters or at least prevent existing blisters from getting worse. Well, last night, I did everything wrong. I've been padding the existing blister on the ball of my left foot with moleskin or foam tape. I've also been having problems with the 4th and 5th toes on my right foot rubbing together and causing irriatation. Well, in my infinite wisdom, I left the foam tape on the bottom of my left foot and wrapped a small peice of moleskin around my right 5th toe to prevent rubbing. I really knew better, but I did it anyway hoping for the best. And while it sounds logical in theory, the reality is......feet sweat during running, the tape prevents the moisture from wicking away thus increasing the friction and creating a blister or making an existing one worse. So, here I sit feeling like a royal dumbass with a blister on the ball of my left foot and on the inside of my right 5th toe wondering if I will be able to run my next scheduled runs!  When will I ever learn??  I'm hoping that these areas will feel better by Thursday night. I'm thinking I might try antiperspirant on my feet in the future. I'm even seriously considering super glue to toughen up the skin in these "hot spots"

Because I was concerned about my feet, I didn't really do a very adequate post run stretch. With the problems I've had recently with my IT band and hip, a good thorough stretch is a must!!  So, I came home and tried out my new Vinyasa Yoga for Runners dvd. That was a good workout!!  I'm not as flexible as I should be but I'll get there eventually. I was surprised how much more relaxed I felt afterward. I think that I will definitely make a serious effort to do this yoga workout at least 2-3 times a week.

Have you ever had a blister from your run?? How did you treat or prevent them in the future??

Have you ever done yoga? Did you like it?

This and that

I wish I had some profound wisdom for you today, but I don't.

So far, things are flowing pretty smoothly this week.

Monday is typically busy at work, playing catch up from the weekend and yesterday was no exception. Thankfully, there were no major issues though.

After work, I went in search of some Thorlo experia socks. Retail therapy was successful!!

I arrived home to find hubs outdoors taking advantage of DST. He had thawed out some Butterball onion flavored turkey burgers. I cooked those up in the electric skillet and baked some sweet potatoes. We rounded out the meal with salad and sliced avocado. I was a little dubious about the burgers, but they were quite tasty!!  I highly recommend them if you haven't tried them. We watched the Biggest Loser and then called it a night.

I'm really looking forward to trying my new socks on my run tonight. We're scheduled to run 3 easy miles and the weather is perfect!

How is the weather in your area?? Do you have any outdoor activities planned now that there is more daylight in the evening??

Have you tried turkey bugers? If so, did you like them?

Chutes and ladders

Another successful weekend in the books!

Every week I feel like a kid staring up the ladder of the big slide at the playground. Monday we start our climb up that ladder, continue it on Tuesday, reach the top on Wednesday and slide down Thursday/Friday, then we run back around to do it all over again.

So, everyone on FB is grumbling about the time change/Daylight savings time. Personally, I’m happy about it. I don’t really think it jacks up my sleep pattern anymore than it already is. I’ve never been a morning person; I’m more of a night owl with insomnia. I like the light in the evenings. I like not having to wear lights when I run after work!! Woo hoo!!

Well, I gotta get started climbing. Have a wonderful week!

How was your weekend??

Do you like DST? Are you a night owl or morning person?

Saturday Awesomeness!

We were up and at 'em early Saturday morning for an 8 mile run with my half marathon training group. It was a beautiful morning, in the 50's with a south breeze. I thought it would be a little bit humid because the forecast was predicting 90% chance of rain later in the day, but it didn't seem too bad on our run. I wore capris, a short sleeved top, Osielle arm sleeves and I was comfortable. I even was too warm at one point. That's why I like the sleeves, I can easily roll them down or take them off and roll them up in my belt.

It was supposed to be a progression run. I don't think I really did much progressing but I did finish without too much IT band pain. It was tight, but not the excruciating pain I've experienced in the past.

We enjoyed a post run breakfast and antics with some of our favorite running buddies.

I discovered this loveliness on my way home:

I've been having some issues with running blisters lately. It is SO annoying!!  I've tried everything I can think of, Body Glide or vaseline pre run. I have good shoes and socks. I usually wear Feetures or Balega. I've even tried WrightSock which is a double layer sock that is supposed to prevent blisters but I"m still having problems. :-( I think I'm going to try Thor-lo and Smart Wool socks to see if that will make any difference.

After post run breakfast and naps, we got all dressed up for a Saturday night in the big town.....literally!

We went on a "date" to my college alma mater to watch the Roustabouts perform. The Roustabouts is a musical show troupe, much like Glee or Pitch Perfect, that I had an opportunity to be a part of 20+ years ago when I was in college. It was a good show but they sure do things so much differently now than back in the day.

Saturday was just a pretty awesome day. And speaking of awesome, I'm going to link up with my friend, Jennifer. Check out her blog @ FatChick2FitChick. She posts about her weight loss journey as well as daily randomness that we can all relate to. She's got a great sense of humor! I don't care who you are, she posts some funny stuff, right there!!

I guess you could say what makes me awesome is my ability to overcome adversity. I navigated my way through nursing school as a single mom with a young child. I lost 60+ pounds and have kept it off for 6 years. I'm currently battling some running injuries that have slowed me down a little, but I'm deteremined not to let them defeat me! 

That's all I've got time for now. I'm off to the grocery store to shop and meal plan for the week. TTFN

 

What makes you awesome? Link up and tell us!

Have you ever tried Thorlo or Smartwool socks??

Friday and a link up

It's Friday, Jack! And that makes me happy, happy, happy! Enjoy the Duck Dynasty references, y'all Seriously, Friday makes me as happy as a fat kid w/ cake.

So, I'm kinda new to all this blogging link up stuff, but I'm gong to jump on the "Finish the sentence" link up with Jake and Holly.

1. People always tell me....that I'm an inspiration. Hmmm, ok......whatever

2. In the movie based on my life...Sally Field would play me because "you like me, you really, really like me"

 3. Typically, I end up regretting....passing up a really good bargain. And when I go back the next day to get it, it's gone

4. I always ask to leave off.....the dressing. I don't like my lettuce swimming in the stuff!

5. Kim and Kanye really...who?

6. My Parents always reminded me...that I wasn't a very good runner. Ha, I showed them!

7. Every single day I.....think about eating cookies! Really, they are my crack!

8. This one time in College...I was in a really cool musical show group (think Glee or Pitch Perfect)

9. My grossest habit is...biting my fingernails.

10. My latest white lie was...I'm gonna be late for work because I have an appointment (was sleeping an extra 15 minutes)

11. I know all the words to...Margaritaville

12. When I grow up...wait, what? I don't wanna be a grown up (sticks out bottom lip and stomps feet)

13. Sexy time just gets better with age ;)

14. I will never, ever...eat liver, no matter what....even when I almost died from iron deficiency!

15. I think it's hilarious...when my husband shoots our crazy chihuahua the bird and she goes all Cujo on him

That's all I've got time for now. Laters!

Made it!

I survived "blah Wednesday"!

Fortunately for all my co-workers, work was pretty uneventful!

Hubs and I had a pretty low key evening. I put my pj's on as soon as I got home.

Dinner was spaghetti using spaghetti squash "noodles", a trick I've learned from some other blogs/Instagram folks I follow. I usually make my own sauce but I was being lazy last night. So I used an organic, jarred sauce that I spruced up w/ Italian seasoned ground turkey, sliced portabella mushrooms and spinach. We also had salad and splurged on garlic bread. Hubs liked it, but he will eat pretty much anything. It was the perfect comfort food I needed to improve my poor mood!

Then, the uneventfulness continued: we watched SMASH that I dvr'd and the new episodes of Duck Dynasty. That show is always good for a laugh when I need one.

So, today is a new day! My attitude is much better. The weather is going to be perfect and I'm looking forward to a nice 4 mile progression run with my Pathways group this evening!

Happy Thursday!

What is your favorite comfort food?

Do you have any favorite TV shows that you follow?

Whatever Wednesday

So yeah, it's Wednesday.......again.

Ugh!

I'm usually excited about Hump Day because that means we're halfway through the work week. But, for some reason, my attitude has been really poor this week.

Maybe I need a vacay.

So, I'll leave you with this thought........

How I Found Myself

Last night, I watched the makeover episode of the Biggest Loser. It was so inspiring. I was bursting with pride for the contestants, watching them apply what they have learned at the ranch, encouraging their friends and families to make healthy changes/choices. It was awesome to see not only the physical, but the emotional changes in them. I almost cried. It really hit home with me. I could relate to them.

You see, I've been there. Yes, I've walked in their shoes!

Believe it or not, I used to be fat. In 2007, I weighed 180 pounds. That might not sound like much, but on my frame it was a LOT!! I wore a size 14/16, I got winded easily, didn’t have any energy, was tired all the time, didn’t feel remotely sexy or attractive and I couldn’t see my damn feet in the shower!! Yes, my gut stuck out that much!!

The turning point for me was, one night after eating a heavy pasta dinner, I felt bloated and tired. I wanted to go to sleep but my husband wanted to get frisky. I wasn’t in the mood which was happening more often than not. We were still newlyweds and it was a sore subject for us. He couldn’t understand why I didn’t want to. And I couldn’t explain to him what I was feeling emotionally. When I looked in the mirror, I saw a fat disgusting girl. How could anyone want to be romantic with me? I was disgusting! Something had to change, and it did!!

Shortly after that night, I started to make changes to my eating habits. I cut out soda pop completely and increased the amount of water I drank. I cut out as much junk food as possible. I increased my fruit and vegetable intake to 5 servings daily. I cut out any foods with high fructose corn syrup, partially hydrogenated oils, and bleached enriched flour. I tried to limit my fat and sugar intake to foods with 5 grams or less. And guess what happened? The weight started coming off. Quickly, too I might add! I started making these changes in March and 6 months later, just in time for my 40th birthday party, I had lost 60+ pounds. I was around 117 – 120 pounds and was wearing a size 4.

But my size isn’t the only thing that changed. I changed. I suddenly had more confidence than I had ever had. I think it was because I was finally proud of myself for accomplishing something so difficult!! I felt better about myself than I ever had before and that spilled over into every aspect of my life. At home, I felt pretty and sexy, so hubs was happy! And at work, I exuded confidence. I felt like my supervisors and co-workers started to give me more responsibility and take me more seriously. It was such an exhilarating, liberating feeling!! I would say by losing 60 pounds, I found me!! What will you gain if you lose??

Monday Motivation

Happiness, by definition, is a state of well-being and contentment. But how does one go about achieving that??

I find this to be true most of the time.

I also find this to be true. A couple of years ago, when I was unhappy with my job/boss, I made a decision to not let her steal my sunshine. I chose not to buy into her negativity. So, to motivate myself, I started posting a positive, inspirational quote to my Facebook page daily. I have to believe that it worked!! I feel like I have a good life balance right now and I know that it is primarily due to my attitude. It helps me to be more centered and to have a better outlook. I’ve come to learn that most unhappiness is a matter of perception and I can change a negative into a positive just by having a good outlook about it. I finally got out of that negative situation and on to bigger, better things but my daily quote has become a habit. My friends call me “Princess Mary Sunshine” because I bring my own sunshine where ever I go. They will comment if I miss a day. And, I’m often told that I am an inspiration to others. This was never my intention, but I’ll go with it. My intention was just to remind myself that: