Hello, hello...

Thought I'd post a mid-week update.

Over the second half of the weekend my stomach was still acting up. I felt really sick Sunday after meeting up with Daniella. I came home and took a 2 hour nap and had some ginger ale and felt better.

On Monday UPS came and delivered my dress I bought from Urban Outfitters. I can get it on but it doesn't fit well. It's too tight in my hips (which is odd because I don't have big hips) and it won't zip well over my busy area.

The dilemma came up on whether or not I should keep the dress and hope that I achieve my 13.4 loss before the trip or return it. It's a $65 gamble!

I decided to keep it and see where I am in a month (30 day return policy). The dress is really, really nice and I want to keep it and wear it so GAME ON!

This week has been okay so far. Okay isn't going to be enough to get to that goal. I did a short workout Monday night and did a little cross training (30 min.) and yesterday I did a kickboxing class which was pretty good.

Tonight we are going to see The Flaming Lips but since the show starts late I am going to fit in a quick 30 Day Shred workout when I get home.

Tomorrow is an off day since I have acupuncture but Friday I am going for a 4-5 mile run outside afterwork. The high is only 81 so it should be beautiful outside! :)

I checked my weight today and I was about the same. I really want to lose at least 1lb this week so I need to be perfect with my points over the next three days! I can do it!

In other news John will be out of town Thursday through Monday for his 10-year HS reunion. :( Luckily my mom and sister are coming to visit on Saturday and Sunday. :)

I also have another long run planned for Sunday.

Last but not least, I finished Order of the Phoenix! Two books left!
Okay, I better go!

Has fall arrived early in Florida or is this a sick joke?

It seems as if fall has arrived early in Florida! Normally this time of year it's still pretty hot and gross out. This past week however has been really nice! Now mind you, fall for Florida is a far cry from what fall is for the other 80 percent of the country. It's been lows in the low 60s and highs in the low to mid 80s but the humidity has been low and it's felt cool.

On Sunday night my stomach started feeling weird, hard to explain but it wasn't good. Monday it was feeling pretty icky and my appetite was off (however I was able to eat all my points, surprise...) so I decided to take the day off from working out and rest. By Tuesday it was still feeling off so I decided another rest day was in order.

Yesterday it felt better but not great. I decided to give the gym a go and see how it went. I ran 2 miles on the treadmill at a decent pace and felt okay. After that I got on the elliptical but after 10 min. or so my stomach was hurting a lot. :( I decided to cut the workout short but still managed to earn 3 activity points so I was happy. I'm just proud of myself for going.

Tonight I have my first physical therapy session for my knees so I'll be taking the day off. I hope it goes well and I learn some good exercises and stretches.

I have a TON of laundry to fold and put away tonight. I figure I'll do it while John is at his Japanese class and I'll watch Project Runway (go Mondo!).

John and I have been making a lot of WW recipes lately. E-Tools now has a feature where subscribers can review and rate recipes which is super helpful. If you've made WW recipes before you know it can be very hit or miss.

On Sunday we made a Winter Squash Lasagna (I've made this before). I like it a lot but I will say I can see it not being for everyone. It's butternut squash, cheese, golden raisins and has pine nuts sprinkled on top.

On Monday we made Mustard Dill Chicken and it was really good! Sorry, no photo of this one! Super easy to make too.

Finally, last night we made Chicken Parmigiana which also came out great!

I like that I can search for 5-star recipes now. Heh.

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In other news, I've been feeling down lately about a variety of things. My job, lack of friends, etc....

I get myself so caught up in the things I don't have sometimes that I lose sight of what I do have.

I am so lucky to have a really great family who loves and supports me, who are there for me no matter that and I know will always have my back.

I'm also really lucky to have John. It's like when you're younger you always wish you'd find the perfect person to be with and I did. Of course our relationship isn't perfect, as neither of us are, I'd never say that (it annoys me when people do!). I just found the person who is perfect for me and I'd venture to say John found the person who is perfect for him.

Sometimes it's easy to get caught up in the negative and things that don't matter. I am guilty as ever as sweating the small stuff.

I just have to make sure I balance it with remembering all of the good stuff, cause there is sure a lot of it!

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Final notes!

I stopped taking my birth control on Sunday. It wasn't serving it's purpose in which my doctor had me start it for and I don't want fake hormones in my body for nothing.

So now I have a visitor, ugh, I hope she doesn't mess up my weigh-in Saturday!

I am going to have two perfect days today and tomorrow point's wise and really hope to see a pay off on Saturday!

Talk to you then...

:)

Pre-10k post!

The 10k is tomorrow morning! I can't believe it's here. I started my training plan three months ago! Time sure does fly and once again teaches me that if I want to do something I might as well do it now because time won't wait on me!

On that notion, it's time to kick it into gear with my weight-loss and getting to my goal. Speaking of getting into the fit groove, John has his 10 year H.S. reunion in two weeks and we wants to try and lose a little weight. So for the next two weeks we are going to work hard and continue it on! I told him he can lose 5lbs in a week if he tries really hard, damn you men! He only has maybe 10-15 to lose max.

Back to the 10k...

Here is the little print out of my training plan at my desk at work. I highlight all my completed days. You'll notice there aren't too many skipped days (white). I'm really proud of how well I did!

My furthest distance to date is 5.75 miles. I know I have it in me to hit that 6.2 mile mark. :)

My gear for tomorrow is the following: new tank top, shorts (wearing body glide!), my standard socks and shoes, knee sleeves, my iPod nano on my armband and visor!

There are five water stops on the 10k course which is awesome. I think I will walk though the water stops to drink the water if I start to feel tired.

The temperature tomorrow is going to be between 71 and 75 degrees. YAY! Florida just got a little cool front and the timing is perfect!

The 10k starts at 7:30 a.m. My goal is to finish in 1:20. I don't know if that's realistic but it's what I'm going for!

John is running the 5k and it starts at 8:15 a.m. I figure if it takes him an hour to finish we'll finish around the same time.

John, Jen and I have to get to Vinoy Park early (I'm thinking 6:45 a.m.) to park, figure out a meeting place since we'll all lose each other during the race, and use the restrooms.

I am excited but also nervous I won't do good or I'll burn out!

My thoughts are that I'll try my best to cruise and enjoy the first 3 miles. I know I can handle that. Then I'll focus on getting to the mile 4 sign. I know I can get to mile 4. From there I know I'll be starting to feel it but I will do my best to truck though to mile 5. If I can get to mile 5 I know I'll be able to get to mile 6 and then the finish line will be minutes away!

I have to make a new play list tonight!

I leave you with the cookies I made for a bake sale at work today to raise money for Making Strides Against Breast Cancer! Pumpkin Oatmeal Cranberry cookies! I decided to participate since the race tomorrow is Race for the Cure and it's a great cause.

Wish me luck!

Outdoor run aka reality check!

So John got a bike today and we were really excited so I could start some outdoor runs while he bikes!

We got a bike rack that holds two bikes (for when I eventually get one!) and headed home.

John got a Schwinn Tourist hybrid bike that was decently priced in the mid-range and had good reviews!

We had dinner around 6:30 and I had some salmon and baked parsnip fries. They turned out meh so I won't mention recipes.  I got wild caught (no more farm raised!) salmon from Whole Foods and it wasn't completely de-boned. :(

Anyway around 7:30 p.m. we decided to head out before it got too late which turned out to be a bad idea. We didn't leave enough time between dinner and the run so my stomach was not happy and I felt quite nauseated burping up fish. Ugh.

I got a GPS app for my phone so we could track our run/ride. In order to carry the damn iPhone I had to wear a fanny pack! It wasn't that bad but I felt silly.

When we left the temperature was 91 feels like 102. AHHHH!!! Even that late!

I ran about 3.75 miles in an hour at a pretty slow pace. It was HARD in that heat.

I wore my heart rate monitor and by the time we got home at burned 512 calories. Fhew!

Next weekend we are going to wake up early on Sunday and go for another run/ride when it's earlier and a bit cooler.

Man oh man...

Practice 5k on 6/27/10 & cupcakes (odd combo)

So yesterday I wanted to do a practice 5k. Basically just run the length of a 5k at the gym. I didn't get up nearly early enough to try one outside so unless I wanted to run in 97 degree weather that was out.

I did a brisk walk to warm up walking to the gym and then a few min. on the treadmill. Then I selected the 5k program.

I usually practice my running at a 5.0. I feel comfortable with it and know I can make it though at that speed. I wanted to push myself though and try a 5.5 I'll be honest, I didn't think I was going to be able to do it. I told John at least twice I didn't think so. He of course said he knew I could if I pushed myself because I've been conditioning enough for it.

Once I started I felt good. It wasn't as fast  feeling as I thought and I just put a towel over the time and ran and jammed out to music.

I checked the time a few times. Around the second mile I was tired and hot (the gym wasn't that cool, grr...). At this point though I knew I could do it. Unless I fainted I was not slowing down.

I kept on and around the last half-mile or so I went up to 5.7 which wasn't a huge difference. The last tenth of a mile (which I sprint in 5k's) I did at a 6.5.

I finished my practice 5k in: 33:31!

I felt awesome. I've been a bit down lately and it made me feel good.

I am hoping I can replicate this time Sunday for the Watermelon 5k on the 4th of July! John is coming to cheer me on and take some pics. :)

In other news we made patriotic cupcakes last night for John to bring to work this week! They were red velvet with cream cheese frosting. Here is a photo of me licking icing and accidentally getting it in my hair. :(

I am making a sad face because it was so typical fatty to get icing in my hair licking something. :P I ate about 5 points of icing. :( Oh well! I didn't eat a cupcake. Well I tried a bite of John's.

The final result. :)

I want to open a cupcake shop! heh.

Summer is here.

Well, for those of you who don't know, I live in Florida. This weekend summer hit us and it hit us hard. The highs were in the low 90s and the humidity was out of control. I want to crawl in a hole (an air conditioned hole) and not emerge until October. Ugh.

The humidity in Florida is what makes it the worst. It's like living in a sauna. :(

Anyway, I don't think I'll be doing any outdoor running for a while. :( It stinks too because I enjoyed it the one day last week when it was nice. Maybe I'll try it out in the mornings once or twice before the 5k.

So I am done with my interval running with Couch to 5k. That means from today on I run 25 min. with no breaks (walking) and over the next three weeks work my way up to 30 min. and from there I will work on speed.

I am not going to lie - I am nervous! I am scared I won't be able to make it 25 min. tonight on the treadmill.

I have been getting side splints the past two days and I don't know why! My friend suggested I try to eliminate soda (note: drinking one now). It's going to be hard. I said goodbye to caffeine a while back but I like some fizzy goodness in my day.

In other news, John and I are leaving for the Bahamas on Thursday! I CAN'T WAIT! I can't wait to swim and be in the Atlantis water park and snorkel! YAY!

My goal is to not gain weight while I'm there. I'm going to be mindful of what I'm eating and drink lots of water.

I will update at least once more before I go!

Run, Danielle, run!

So yesterday was my first 20 min. run on the Couch to 5K program! I knew I was capable of running 20 min. because I've done it before but I wanted to try and keep my 5.0-5.2 pace that I've been doing on the treadmill. When I used to jog 20 min. it was at around a 4.5. A pretty slow jog.

After work yesterday I got myself together. Heart rate monitor on, iPod armband ready and after stretching and doing a little walking I started my timer. I ran around this big lake at work. One lap around the lake is .77 miles. I did two laps and a little more in the 20 min.! I ran the whole thing! I ended up running approx 1.6 miles in 20 min. I have time before the 5k in June to improve my endurance and speed so I am hoping in June I can finish the 5k in around 35 min. :)

I am proud of myself for how good I've been doing!

After my run I did some strength training and by the end of it I was beat!

I rushed home to shower and change because John and I's 2.5 year anniversary of dating is today. He has a class tonight so we were going to get dinner and celebrate a day early.

He got home around 6:45 p.m. and brought me some very pretty flowers. :)

How sweet! <3

Anyway I better get back to work. More updates to come...