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: