Signed, Sealed, Joined, I'm yours!

I did it! You are now reading the words of a member of 24hour fitness. It's more expensive than I thought, but I;m worth it, and I need it. I am also excited about my free consultation next week. I think I get measurements and what-not done, which will be nice to check compared to my last measuring.

Going there wasn't as bad as I imagined (gee, really?). It basically seems like everyone is busy doing their own thing, and I was there at mid-day, so meat-cake percentage was low. I am excited to add resistance training to my schedule again! It might mean a small increase in weight for a bit, but it is ultimately healthier, and will help me lose weight faster.

Which, speaking of weight, I weighed myself at 24hour today. It was a new scale for me, and so instead of noting my weight as a factfactfact, I am considering this my recalibration week. According to the 24hour fitness scale in the women's locker room, I am 191lbs! I know one or both of the scales I have now used could be wrong, but let's celebrate that weight anyways!

WOOTWOOT!

Okay, did a little celebration dance in my seat, back to blogging:)

Another cause for celebration is the run Kristi(awesomecoolroommate) and I did yesterday. We jogged about 2/3 of what I found out was a 3.6mile route! Running with Kristi is good for me because she can run faster and longer than I can, so I try not to slow her down, and speed up in the process!

Speaking of running...it's 5K time.

The end of January has snuck up on me. Out of nowhere. Like a fitness tiger who will bite off my head unless I run. Anywho.

I am designing my own training program. Most training programs are for beginners (they want me to start off with 10 minutes of running 3 days a week), but there are also intermediate ones (that want me to start with 3 miles 3 times a week). Neither of those really work for me.

So I have gotten out my paper and pens, and am trying to create a program. I know I want to run 3 days a week. Do I make them set run days? Do I switch it up every week? How long/far should I run?

I'm figuring it out. All I know is that at this moment I need to go buy myself a bed, and then do some resistance training. So I'm off until next time.

Anyone else training for something specific? What is your training program? Any tips?

And another year is here!

So it’s Tuesday. Weigh-in day. And 24hour Fitness has a scale. So I should know my weight. Do you see the excuses coming?

I didn’t join 24hour Fitness. And I didn’t weigh myself today. But....

It’s my BIRTHDAY!

I am officially 23 years old. And I think it’s going to be a great year for me. I have a place in the city, good friends nearby, jobs that pay, and a body that can hike up mini-mountains, run 3 miles(okay, walk and run 3 miles) and go on long walks at the beach...let me prove it to you:

(jumping on the mountain!)

(we ran to a bakery...and picked up some buns for dinner...this is me showing mine off:)

(A sideways lighthouse...I know, it's crazy)

I had to talk myself into joining 24hour a little more. Money is tight right now, and so I am stressing out about "extraneous expenses." But it's only $18 a month, and if I want to stop the membership after a month, I can. And I need some classes and weights.

And...

HOLY GOODNESS IT'S ALMOST FEBRUARY!!

I did not see that coming! Soon and very soon, I will be starting to train for the Shamrock Run, my 5k in Mid-March. Right now I'm just randomly running around Portland, getting to know the city better, but when I start training I will be a little more disciplined about distance and length of runs.

Then I'll be ready for a marathon....just kidding! Yeah, not running more than 20 miles. It goes against my religion:)

My roomie and I had our families over for dinner tonight, and I found myself saying that the secret to my success is "eat less, move more." Doesn't that sound simple? It is infuriatingly not so. It is difficult sometimes and stressful and makes me feel vulnerable and scared, but it is something I do for myself. Not for the approval of others, not for society, but for me.

Thanks for reading my ramblings. Stayed tuned in for more frequent updates.

10 reasons I should join 24

I need some motivation and push to join 24hour fitness. It seriously intimidates me. There are sweaty people there. In workout clothes other than baggy old shirts. They have lockers, and saunas, and rows upon rows of machines...

1. I need to weigh-in. Every week, on the same scale. And I don't own one...and don't really want to own one either.
2. I need the weights. I can do some workouts at home, but it's great to have all the machines accessible.
3. If it's truly awful weather, I can run inside.
4. It makes sense to invest money into my health. And if I use the gym 3 times a week, it's only $2per visit.
5. Mapquest says the nearest 24 is 3 minutes away. Come on.
6. Some of my friends work out at 24, so I would have some motivation from them to work-out!
7. Classes can be really fun!
8. And I haven't tried Zumba yet!
9. I can always cancel it during the summer if I want to spend more time outside.
10. Because I am worth a gym membership.

So there they are. All my reasons, in writing. Tomorrow I will go and get info, and then I think I will join on Monday, since I will be gone for the weekend...

Did I mention I'm leaving town with friends for a little birthday celebration?! Woot woot! I have an entire 3 DAYS OFF. I haven't had that since...I don't know, October?

It's going to be really difficult to lose weight when I am already planning on beer and pizza, but I am also planning on moving a lot, so we'll see how it goes. My goal is 195 on Tuesday...crossing my fingers....trying to start 23 49lbs lighter than 22.

Nervous, but excited...

Hi. It’s been a while. Which might be sad for my waist line....but I'm pretty happy. You see, I have been commuting to both of my odd-houred jobs 6 days a week for the past few months...and when I say commuting, I mean 18 miles...one way. Suckface.

But you are now reading the words of an apartment inhabiter in one of the best cities ever, Portland! Woot woot! I am less than 4 miles away from both jobs, I will be living with two of the coolest people in my life, and I finally have a use for those Moroccan carpets I was sold in Fez....long story....that makes me look bad...I am such a pushover...nope, moving on:)

The last few days have been hectic as I pack, find furniture, change addresses, and stress about life changing.

Because, as we all know, even good change can be a little scary. I am ready to leave my parent's house(again), I need to be closer to work, I love the city and the people, but...

what if?

What I can't afford to pay my student loans now that I have rent and groceries? What if I suck at buying and cooking myself healthy food? (I've lived on my own before, just not while eating healthy) What if my hours get cut at work and I can’t afford rent?

Do you notice the theme? Money. Yikes. I like having money to do things I want to do, but I hate having to stress about it. So I’m going to create a budget, manage my money, and maybe take that cute accountant who comes into my coffeeshop out for a “money management” date:)

Weigh-in

Hmmmm. I was wondering if 194.5lbs was too good to be true. Last night I weighed in and was 196lbs. Which is still awesome! I have lost 48lbs! But it is up from the last weigh-in. My goal is to rock this week and weigh-in at 194.5 again next tuesday(at a new gym no less!)

I won’t be close to my community fitness center after this week, so I am stepping it up and joining a big girls gym...a place I find very intimidating...and dark...but that has good equipment and classes...I’m talking about 24hour Fitness. It’s the Hollister of gyms to me. Dark entrance, I don’t know if I belong, and there is funny smell being pumped out the front:)

But I know I need a gym to go to while it is still winter, so I’m investing the $20 or so a month in my health. Because I deserve it.

Happy-Body-Whatnot

I was in a circuit class the other day, and had a realization. I was at a station where you are stepping up on an aerobics step, kicking out your leg, and then repeating. There were two steps to chose from. One was higher off the ground.

That’s the one I chose. And as I was sweating and kicking and wishing for water or a break, I realized how far I have come. I am almost 50lbs lighter than last summer. I can move and push and jump! I can take on the big step, and I should take on the big step. My playing small does not serve the world.

Going for what I want and need, striving for excellence, being happy, joyful, and helpful, that is what serves the world, and myself, best.

It’s mid January. I know we all have goals, resolutions, that are starting to get difficult. Recommit. Find the passion, remember your reasons, and know that you are capable. Ask for help and celebrate every little milestone, every little victory (although maybe not with 5 margaritas and brownies...because celebration throwing up is never fun:)

*title of post inspired by this hilarious skit.

Change of Address

I'm moving! Into a great place in the great city of Portland with some great friends! It's great!

So that is what I have been focusing on the past week and a half. While watching my eating and exercising...so when I weighed myself a few days late, I saw

194.5lbs!!

That's what I'm talking about! It's still really busy getting everything ready for moving/moving/unpacking/painting furniture/finding stuff on craigslist and at goodwill, but stick around for updates and how my exercise/eating life is about to change.

And be grateful exercise has advanced past this: Body Fusion

Happy Wednesday

Just popping in for a moment, to say that I have not weighed in yet this week....but I have a (kinda) good reason...that I will share with y'all in a day or two...a life change...that makes me really happy...and scares me...which means it's good for me.

(Are you intrigued? Excited? Me TOO!)

Let's hear it for the girls!

Enough about me. Let's talk about some other great people. Like suseebe. You might have noticed her amazingly inspiring and helpful comments at the end of my posts. She's a wonderful support in my life, and I love what she has to say. Like the other day, she left this little note from Dr.Oz:

From Dr. Oz on AOL's "That's Fit" column ...

--Don't beat yourself up if you "cheat."--
Hey, everyone occasionally has an off day, when, say the desire to eat a few ... okay, 10... chocolate chip cookies gets the better of us. When that happens, says Dr. Oz, don't brow-beat yourself. Instead, "recognize your mistake and recognize what led to your mistake, then get back on track." Some of Dr. Oz's quick and easy suggestions for getting back on the program -- and feeling better about your progress: Take a five-minute walk, toss out a calorie-rich or otherwise unhealthy food you're still holding on to (like the rest of that bag of cookies); write out your meal plan for tomorrow. "Doing something small and easily attainable, keeps you moving in the right direction," he says.

As we all know, my life went a little wayward in the past week, and this comment came to my rescue a few times. There was one day where I felt all the food was spiraling out of my control and onto my ass...so I threw out some stale holiday cookies.

I was running a little late on Thursday, and was thinking about skipping my run...dissapointing my dog...and my ass again...but I thought about a five minute walk, and said, I can run for 15 minutes. So I did. It wasn't thirty, like I had originally wanted. But it wasn't nothing. So thank you Susan, for you encouragement, support, laughter, and wisdom. I would be on the elliptical next to you any day:)

I have this friend, named A. It's a simple name but it suits her just fine:) She started running about a month ago. At 5:15am every other day. Where it is very cold. And that deserves praise, adoration, trumpets blowing and confetti! Or at the very least, a thank you, for being an inspiration for me.

And then there are all the blogs I read. Look to the right. See that list of blogs? I don't know many of those ladies personally, but their lives help me, motivate me, and make me think. So check 'em out.

And finally, I would like to dedicate this post, to the Shakeweight. (watch this video right now. Don't keep reading, just click on it. I'm serious, there is nothing important after this. Just watch it!) Because life was not ridiculous enough.

Happy New Year!!

(I'm such a party girl...really:)

hmmm...it seems I have been absent for a while. I wish I had a really good explanation, like I was moving, or was randomly selected to fly to New York to spend New Years with John Krasinski....but no such luck:)

I have been sick, stressed, and full of excuses. But let's back up, shall we? Maybe back to New Years?

To the New Year, and beyond...

And thus began my descent into bad eating. I had a big lobster dinner with the family before going to a house party...where I had tequila shots, hard cider, brownies, and those amazing costco truffles.

And then on friday I had Macaroni Grill for lunch....delicious fail. We ate the fresh baked bread...okay, I ate the fresh baked bread. And then we shared the mozarella fritti(dressed up mozarella sticks, 670 cal). And then I ate my whole meal(Honey basalmic chicken, 640 cal).

Four hours later we had sushi for dinner.

And then Sunday we went to the Seahawks game, which means dim sum, hot dogs, garlic fries, and pizza/pasta on the way home.

The point of this mini-food-listing, is that I overdid it. I even drank pop, which I never do! And if you are wondering, I only exercised on friday and saturday. My balance has been off.

Weigh-In...

Not good. I gained a pound. I wasn't surprised, but I cursed the scale silently in the corner of the gym. I am back to 199lbs. Remember 2 weeks ago? When I was setting goals, shortening my time-period for weight-loss, and generally kicking ass?

Something changed. I think I gave in. I was on top of everything for so long, I was succeeding through the holidays, and then...not.

I'm thinking out loud (on keyboard?) right now, but maybe I was afraid of my potential. Maybe my success scared me, because if I can do this, think of what else I can do. Where will my excuses be then? If I can do this, lose 90lbs, I can do anything.

ANYTHING. And that scares me. So I am turning to a quote from Marianne Williamson my friend Shayna used to have in our dorm room:

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.

We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous? Actually who are we not to be? You are a child of God.

Your playing small doesn’t serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you."

My playing small does not serve the world. It is my responsibility to live my life the best and healthiest way I can. I have a fully functioning body that can accomplish amazing feats...if I push myself. If I embrace my potential and fabulousity:)

So here is to a FABULOUS new year, playing big, and knowing when to take half a meal home. Happy 2010:)