Kicking *kitten* In Our Twenties - May Challenge!!

lostalykat

Tara- Thanks a lot, I was having a rough emotional weekend and I guess I just let that be the topper on the cake. I am going to just have my new WI as Wednesday and set it on my ticker as a new starting point. I am scared to not step on the scale for that long since when I did that in the past I ended up gaining. I will have to think about it. Having dinner out with my mom and the fiance tonight and we are going to walk to either a healthy chinese place or sushi, both have healthy options so I feel ready to tackle this night.

finncmh

Quick phone post to finish out the evening....

First real Crossfit session went really well. It was a good workout and I am ready for more. I think that my favorite part was having someone there to teach me some new lifting techniques and also correct my form!

On the agenda for my day off tomorrow.... A nice l low key run, mowing the lawn if the rain holds off, and then going to my favorite local artist's house to work on our wedding invitations!!!

Hope everyone had a great night and kicks some major *kitten* tomorrow!!!!!

-Cait

meagalayne

Quick post. Right now I am feeling overwhelmed and needing to just take a massive step back and focus on my life and getting things together. I am constantly thinking of you guys and your progress and wishing I could be here more to support you, but right now it's just not possible. I definitely have to be there for me first.

Not logging right now, and I think I need it. I need to afford myself some flexibility and I know that logging food at the moment would likely make me "snap". I'm far from eating clean right now, because there is so much eating out and relying on others for cooking, but I am making the best choices I can and fueling to ensure I'm not losing anymore. I'm starting to look very "vascular" in my hands, forearms, and chest and I know it's a function of too much fat loss over time. Doing my best to remedy it.

Have a very full plate this week. My folks are going away which means I have a lot less support here, but also a lot more freedom to do (and eat) what I please. Start work Thurs and have a lot to do before then (like a whole new wardrobe to acquire still). I am hoping to sneak in a trip to the drive-in tomorrow night, plus another solid run this week, and a baseball game Wednesday night. I'll be in and around MFP checking in, but will not be very active on this thread for a while. Thanks for keeping things moving everyone. Much love to you all and good job keeping your goals in sight.

KanCrav

Ill be back soon to comment but.....

~Meag... I LOVE the new pic.. lol. I have to say that this is how I picture you in my head. lol. In the sun at a nice little coffe shop laughing at your lap top and looking fabulous!~!~! I love it!~!~!

tjradd73

Aly-sounds like you have great plans for dinner tonight, and I am sure that you will do great! As for the non-scale challenge...I was getting so obsessed with it myself, that I felt like I had no other option!! I feel like I have done what I can do (minus my 4 days over) and am really hoping that the scale agrees...but I guess we shall see on the 1st!! Wednesday was my nomral WI and I have had nothing but the best results with it...so hopefully it treats you as well as it has treated me

Cait-I am so glad that you liked your crossfit session...you will be an expert in no time! Have fun with your invites tomorrow...and kick some butt on your run! :happy:

Meag-I agree with Kan....this is, BY FAR, my fave pic of you!! You look healthy, happy, and carefree!! I know that you are far from carefree right now...but just keep on, keeping on, and I am sure that you will be there in the near future! :flowerforyou:

AFM-nothing new...just checkin in

allie7383

Hey ladies!! Hope everyone had a lovely weekend. It’s been overcast and been on and off again random sunshine to downright pouring for a week now, with no end in sight until next week..

Meag- yes I love the new pic as well! Kandance took the words right outta my mouth.. this is the mental pic I have you when you describe your fun weekends.. totally chill and just plain happy..so glad that the job situation worked out for you.. sounds like you have some fun activities coming up as well! I so wish we still had a drive-in.. they were apparently started in NJ, but now one of the only ones is in RI, which I did go to in college and had such a fun time!

Kandace- major NSV I’d say with the bikinis!! The only 2 pieces I ever wore were tankinis which of course covered everything.. this year I’m joining you in the first-timer bikini club lol. Just hoping this weather clears up in time for my vacay.. oh and I totally give my vote for the black/white dress! Awesome job covertly adjusting the dinner plans for the fam! And 90 days alcohol-free, wow, major accomplishment, I hope you realize how inspiring you are!

Cait- glad you enjoyed crossfit! I know a brother and sister, not on here that do it, and they always refer to it as ninja training haha. They’re also following a paleo lifestyle, and will frequently post of facebook what their meals are, and aside from the bacon (which I am so not a fan of) they all sound great.. don’t think that would be the fit for me though. I’d rather just eat what I want and watch the moderation.

Megan- hope you’re feeling ok.. don’t push yourself too hard and make yourself get sick! That’s a great starting point for your 5K, and I’m sure by the time you actually do it you’ll blow that time away!

Bethany- major congrats on graduating!! And I’m so happy that you found a place for you and the fam! Seems like things are really coming together for you! Don’t stress about the food issues, you’ve had a lot on your plate lately ( haha no pun intended).. being settled in a place and having no more school will def take stress off and I’m sure you’ll be back on track in no time!

Aly- that’s great about the dress! Gotta love that feeling of something not only fitting, but being loose! And yay for setting the date and venue, now to all the other details!

Shannon- congrats on the loss, and running!! How are you doing with the Shred? I decided to do 10 days at each level, and have 1 day left of level 1.. should’ve done it today, but totally blew it off for some low impact power walking lol. Will def finish it
this week.. I’m anxious to see how level 2 will be!

Tara- i've already updated with u but again, yay for no scale diligence! these final days are gonna be the worst for me i think.. i can already feel the anxiety start to rise up..

AFM- I had my first ever 5K on Sunday, and while I was totally intimidated at the start, I felt pretty darn good at the end. I finished 92/138, with an official time of 30:49.. ok random question for you race veterans.. how does the whole timing thing work? As I passed the clock at the end it said 30:44, maybe 30:45, so where did those extra seconds come from? I know it’s trivial, but just curious. My time put me at a pace of 9:56 which I was super happy with, and I finished 4th out of the 8 people in my age group, so overall it was a great day! Beforehand I briefly chatted with this guy, who must have weighed about 90 pounds, who ended up winning with a time of 17:26!! I wasn’t even at the second mile yet! I swear we started and I turned my head and he was gone lol…
Still no scale for me! I’m starting to get anxious about the June 1st WI, b/c like Tara I will be majorly disappointed if I don’t see a loss. At this point I’m hoping to be under 150.. If anyone wants to do a non-scale challenge next month I highly recommend a buddy. Tara and I have been checking in daily with each other, and as I’ve said to her, it’s helped me so so much in keeping on my toes, and getting back into logging, which I completely fell out of. So major thanks to my buddy!!

Work has been so hectic this year with people leaving, changing shifts, and now vacays coming that I took an extra night, so tonight is my first of 7 ugh!!! I have Memorial Day off, but I’ll be so wrecked by then it’s pointless.. hopefully the sun will be out so I can break out the bikinis! Yes my first ever real 2 pieces.. I tried them on, and am feeling somewhat ok with them, but of course there’s always room for improvement..
Major NSV this weekend.. I went shopping and will be forever grateful to Old Navy for their odd sizing.. I got a couple skirts….. SIZE 4!! What?? I only thought I’d see that number with a 1 in front of it lol.. wow… and even those were slightly loose, though good for some wiggle room when sitting down and such. So random, as the capris I got were an 8, but I’ll take it!! Same thing happened at the dress store.. got one in a 4 and another in an 8… hey I’m not complaining!

mkingraham

Good Morning Lovelies!

Allie- size 4 and size 8 sounds amazing! You are totally kicking *kitten* lately and I am sure when the end of the month comes you will see major improvement!

Meag- Hang in there girl!! Couple of tips for your wardrobe- just buy a couple of things and then see how the rest of your coworkers dress. I almost bought an entire wardrobe that would have been way to fancy compared to what my coworkers wear, so I'm glad that I didn't get it. But no matter what I am sure you will look FABOULOUS!

Cait- I'm glad you liked your first session! Can't wait to hear about all your WOs as they continue!!

AFM- The usual spin instructor (aka my boss) is out today so I ended up doing insanity with my workout buddy. It was pure cardio and pretty intense, but it was good. I decided to pick back up in the middle of week 6 for C25K that way I can get ready for my 5k on June 25. I am really excited for that and think that I can totally kill it! While I do the C25K runs I think I am still going to do at least 3.1 miles during each round, just be sure to do the scheduled C25K run as well. I'm excited but nervous. I am feeling much better since yesterday I went to bed at 8:15 and didn't need to wake up until 5:45. It was glorious!! So I definitely felt a lot better this morning and with the workout I am feeling great! I'm gonna shoot for an early bed time again tonight but I have to take my dog to the dog park because she needs some running time. Any ways- it feels good to be posting to you ladies 2 days in a row

See you later gator!

Megan

meagalayne

AFM- I had my first ever 5K on Sunday, and while I was totally intimidated at the start, I felt pretty darn good at the end. I finished 92/138, with an official time of 30:49.. ok random question for you race veterans.. how does the whole timing thing work? As I passed the clock at the end it said 30:44, maybe 30:45, so where did those extra seconds come from? I know it’s trivial, but just curious. My time put me at a pace of 9:56 which I was super happy with, and I finished 4th out of the 8 people in my age group, so overall it was a great day! Beforehand I briefly chatted with this guy, who must have weighed about 90 pounds, who ended up winning with a time of 17:26!! I wasn’t even at the second mile yet! I swear we started and I turned my head and he was gone lol…

Friggen awesome time and so glad that you enjoyed yourself! (at least I hope you did - you seemed to leave that part out ...)

As for the timing, that makes no sense at all. Usually your chip time is less than your clock time, not greater than. How it works is that the clock starts running as soon as the gun sounds and then your chip time officially starts once you cross the mats at the start line. So basically whatever time it takes you to get from your starting point to the starting line is subtracted from your clock time. Thus, it should be slightly less. My clock time is always about 20-30secs longer, since I tend to stick at the back of the pack near the start of the race and take my time getting going.

As for the sprinters that win the races... Oh Em Gee. It's fascinating but absolutely insane as well. I could never wrap my head around it. How on earth does anyone run 3.1miles in 16 mins? I've raced with someone before who ran it under 16. Total craziness. My legs could absolutely never run me that fast. Not even for 10 meters, let alone 5k! It always makes me laugh when friends/family ask me about "winning" at races. It seems that everyone who doesn't run just assumes that you enter a race with the intention of trying to win it - when I explain that I'll never win a race unless I'm the only runner and it's in my backyard, they seem perplexed as to why I'm even bothering with the event at all, then. It's not about winning or losing - it's about finishing strong, feeling like you've done your absolute best, and setting/crushing PRs to push yourself harder the next time. The thrill of the chase, so to speak.

OK so I know I said I wouldn't be around but I woke up much earlier than necessary this morning (I suuuck at sleeping) and so I have a little bit of extra time to kill. Figured I would respond to a few things.

Allie - the sizing at Old Navy and most of those chains is totally whack - It's great for some things, but makes it absolutely impossible to shop without having to try everything on twice and bring 1800 sizes into the change room with you! :grumble: I'm so impatient and lazy, I usually just avoid them entirely.

Aly - Can't wait to see the new dress, lady! I know I missed a bunch of your updates but I will try to catch up when I can. So glad to see/hear that you are feeling good about where you are in your journey though. I love that you've been able to really focus on the positive lately:happy:

Tara - Great job sticking it out! It sounds like you're doing a great job! 4 days over your cals over the course of one month seems like a pretty fab job to me. I am looking forward to seeing your results once you step on the scale June 1st. Keep at it and I know you're going to kick *kitten*. You're looking positively TINY these days!

Kan/Allie/Tara - Thanks for the kind words :blushing: I'd be lying if I said this isn't exactly how i look all the time hanging around with the boy. The truth is that my anxiety and stress tends to be confined to times when I am alone and without him to ground me. Whenever I spend time with him, I feel a lot happier and more at ease. It's so nice having a partner that I know loves and supports me in every aspect of my life. I really do feel like we can handle anything life throws at us when we're together. He's been stellar these past few weeks and has really helped me put things into perspective. Thank goodness for that!

Megan - Good tips! Thankfully I've already been to the office a few times and I know the general dress code. I just want to make sure, above all else, that I have stuff I'll be comfortable wearing every day. I am focusing on basics right now - pants, skirts, plain shirts, cute little cardigans, versatile shoes, and some neutral bags. I've bought a few less basic items here and there but I mostly just want stuff I can mix and match. A few pops of pattern/colour and a whole bunch of neutral. I am definitely looking fabulous though - ain't that the truth! :laugh: Thanks deary! Now tell me about this insanity workout... I tend to dislike video workouts but am intrigued by anything that requires a few loose screws to get started Deets, please!

Cait - Your day today sounds AWESOME! Enjoy your low key run - Sometimes those are my faves! Great to just zone out of your running pains, focus on the beautiful weather and how fabulous life can be, and just enjoy the time to yourself. It's way too easy to take fitness for granted.

Beth - Congrats on graduation and finding a place to live! :drinker: I know that finishing school must definitely bring a TON of relief to you - More time, way more opportunity, and just a relief knowing you are finally finished. Absolutely awesome, lady. Don't stress too much about food right now. You'll find some normalcy soon and everything will fall back into place. You know how to get it done. Life just has a funny way of making everything way more difficult than it needs to be Keep us informed!

OK I better get to work. I have to leave in 15mins and still am not even dressed... hahah! Oh MFP - Why am I so addicted to you!?!?

lostalykat

Hey There everyone! Things have been crazy but here is what I have for today

-I think I am going to Not weight myself for all of june, I will weight myself on the first and then put the scale away until the first of July. With everything else going on and since stress is what is causing my headaches I need to keep that in check.

- I am keeping the dress in that size and I am going to wear a padded bra to fill it out. I don't want to spend another $150 just to see if the smaller size fits. This size will work and I can always get it altered if I need to later.

- I am going to be doing intense training pretty soon so I will be very busy. Just to warn you guys but this is also the reason I am going to step away from the scale. I will most likely go back to weighing 1 time a week after my race in the end of July. But for not it will be focusing on calories in vs out and making sure to count. Also checking how my clothes are fitting and doing measurements 1 time a month.

Question- For those of you who do measurements how do you do it? How do you remember where to put the tape so it is accurate? Just wondering.
Have a great day peeps! The dress pics will be on the way as soon as I can find a minute to do it hehe. It might wait until next week sorry loves.

M_lifts

Hey everyone,

I didnt manage to run yesterday. Gale force wind and rain! Did my zumba sculpt and tone with 3lb weights. Also managed zumba today so doing well.

tara: well done for not weighing on! I need to do this and stop obsessing every saturday!

Lostalykat: I measure hips, thighs at the widest parts! I wnt a bit nuts and measured bust, under bust, waist and shins, arms as well!

tjradd73

Allie-thanks girly, I couldn't have done it without ya!!! and CONGRATS again on oyur 5k and your size 4!!! super fab! :drinker:

Megan-glad to see things have calmed down a bit! Was that your first time doing insanity?? what didya think?? One of the rec centers by me offers a DVD class of it for free, and I was thinkin of checkin it out?! Lemme know

Meag-thanks...I wouldn't say that I look "tiny" but I will def take it!! LOL :laugh: I have decided that I am gonna wake up on the first and do my measurements before I hop on the scale, as to give my mind a 5 minute prep time for the results!! I am so happy to hear that you are like your pic shows, with your boy...true love!!!ahhhhhhhhhhhh.......*sigh*

Aly-great idea!! don't forget it helps to have a buddy (as Allie and I have said) and that Megan may wanna join you on this challange for June!!! You will do great! As for measurements...I take the smallest part of each area and stick to measuring that!! That way I will know that I am going in the right place consistently!! One idea that I saw from someone on MFP is to take an upclose pic while your measuring, this not only reminds you of where you measured, but when you take some later shots you can hold the measure where it was on your body and snap a pic to see what the inches really look like!! But I measure: waist, hips, thighs, upper arms, and ribcage!

Mariam-thanks!! It is def easier said then done...but I only have T-7 days to go!!

AFM-another "rest" day; however, I got in my 12min tricep routine and have another great menu for the night!! Tomorrow would be my normal WI (as you all know-LOL!) and even though I am not weighing...I am still keeping up with my total cardio/strength, water, and GROSS cals for the week, and I have had a great week!! Right where I need to be for my "money" spot!! T-7days to go ladies!!

shannonaufman

Kandace – this is from a ways back, but awesome job on 90 days. You should be so proud of yourself. Keep up the amazing work. How is 30DS going? I started level 2 today. I only had to take one break, and that was to yell “F--- YOU JILLIAN MICHAELS!” She really whups your butt in level two. Holy cow. But it feels SO good to be done with it.

Cait – I love reading your blog. Is that creepy? I had one of my blog posts get voted up the list this past week and, to be honest, it kind of weirded me out to know that random people were reading what I was writing. I mean, I put it all out there for a reason... but it still kind of gave me the heebie jeebies. Anyway, I totally admire your dedication to your eating choices. I can't wait to see how this 30-day program works for you.

Megan – You pretty much hit it on the head. One Hour Runner is a 10-week program that builds from the 30-minute runs that C25K finished with to running for one hour. Unlike Bridge to 10K, One Hour Runner is all running. B210K goes back to run/walk intervals and I just didn't think that was for me. So far it's going really well. It sounds like you have a great starting point for your 5K in June – I'm sure you'll blow your previous 5K out of the water!!

Aly – I got married in March, and I remember the relief I felt after booking my venue. That's so exciting that your dress was too big! I mean, not exciting because now you have to worry about alterations... but you know what I mean! :happy: How is your triathlon training going?

Allie – Like I told Kandace, I started level 2 today. I'm not doing the shred every day, just on my off days from running. So it's slow going, but I definitely notice significant improvement over my first day of level 1! Level 2 is no joke, I can tell you that!! AMAZING 5K! I look very forward to the day that I have a similar 5K time. I have a friend who ran a 16:15 5K a few weeks ago in Philadelphia. She's been a runner all her life and definitely has the body of a runner – tall and stick-thin. It literally blows my mind to think that someone can run that fast. I read an article that they're thinking someone will break the 2-hour marathon soon. That's a sub-4:45 minute mile pace. What?!?!?! :noway:

AFM – I'm through with week 1 of One Hour Runner, and just started level 2 of 30DS. I'm going canoeing tomorrow for the first time (I white water kayak, but I've never canoed) with my 'research family.' It's a 6-hour canoe tour and I'm really, really excited about it. It's weird. If this trip had taken place 3 months ago, I would have been freaking out... Would I be able to keep up? Would I be able to physically handle canoeing for 6 hours? But now, I'm SO excited. I have no fear that I won't be able to keep up. I'm pumped about the calorie burn, the good times, the swimming, the water. I just can't wait!!

nausicaa11

Hello everyone,

Hope everyone is doing great with their goals!

My past few weeks have been busy with exams and projects so I didn't post. But they are over now and I really must get back on track now. I started exercise on Saturday after a gap of about 2 months! Still, somehow I stuck to my diet plan in those exercise-less days and have managed to lose about 6 pounds since the start of this month (I might just get to 8 ). There was a point in May when I got a plateau for about 10 days, it was really hard but then eventually the weight fell. So well, thats my update Wish everyone the best of luck!

tjradd73

Shannon-I LOVE to canoe!! I haven't been in a long time so I am totally jealous!! Have a great time

nausicaa-congrats on the 6lbs so far...I bet you will get to the 8 no prob!! nice to seeya back at it, and can't wait to hear about your exercise endeavours

KanCrav

~Aly... why cant you exchange the dress for a smaller size????

~Shannon... Thanks!~! I kinda feel like I want to jump to level 2 on 30DS cuz I feel that I am not as worked up as I was the first few times, BUT I am only on day 7 and I have been doing it everyother day cuz I forget sometimes or it just doenst fit in my schedule. IDK, I am going to wake up early for the rest of the week like I did today and get in my 30DS before my day starts.

~Tara... you're almost done!~!~! wewww 7 days left, you rock!~!

~Mariam.... Way to go getting in those workouts!~!



AFM.... Did anyones knees hurt when you started 30DS? I feel like jumping up and down on my floor is not very good. My knees KILL half way through the 20 min. And I tried to interval jog with my dog after it and my knees hurt soooo bad that I couldnt run more than 30 seconds. Any ideas on why this is happening??? It happens during spin too.... if I put my tension too high its like me knees just wont do it, even though I want to push through.

I am not feeling very good today. I feel GIANORMOUSLY bloated. I hate all these changes in my BC. I am in the middle of my cycle and I had a pap yesterday and my doc said I needed to start my period. So she just went ahead and started it for me!~! I have no freakin idea what she did but now its going and Im still taking my pill and today I am having "pre" menstral symptoms. Uhhhh... my poor body is sooo confused. Im just gonna stick to drink lots of water and doing what I can with workouts. I am thinking about not going to spin tonight cuz my knees hurt soo much, but then again I feel like I should to keep stressing them and hopfully they will get stronger. What do yous think???

tjradd73

Kandace-good question girl...have you thought about wearing knee braces while you were doing the workouts that hurt them so much?? I would say, just be sure to stretch them out very well before and after your 30 DS and spin...but I couldn't say this would work for sure or not?!?!?! sorry...wish I had more info for you!

meagalayne

Quick selfish post - Starting my new job tomorrow and I have a lot of small chores to do in order to get ready. I am definitely a little panic-y (surprised? lol) about the food situation. I haven't had a normal 9-5 in a longgg time and certainly not since I became so much more focused on fueling and eating clean. For the most part I tend to just snack all day long instead of eating regular meals, so I know that this is going to be a big adjustment. I am trying to prepare by cooking stuff ahead of time today, but it'll still be a learning curve. Hoping that the new routine will help me get back on track (my eating has been really suffering lately with the craziness in my life) but I know that I am going to struggle to find the motivation to cook creative meals for dinner after a long day at work. I'll have to do more planning and less spontaneous stuff in the kitchen, I guess. Any suggestions on sourcing out motivation for meal-making when you're tired after a long day at work?

Definitely feeling flabby and gross these days and I know I can do better. I need to get back into fitness mode - haven't done much strength training the last few weeks since I've been trying to up my running game again. I need to get back into it and put myself first, even if that means giving up some time with Tyler. I definitely feel like we're spending an excess amount of time together lately and it's really holding me back from getting regular workouts (hard ones, anyway) and eating what I would like to be eating. I just need to find more balance. Going to try and figure out a decent gym/fitness/running schedule for a regular work week starting on Monday. I need to see what the gym offers and try to work it in.

Nausicaa - Great loss this month - your dedication is seriously impressive! Keep it up and you'll hit 8lbs in no time. Might not be at 8lbs by the first, but you'll get there and that's all that matters. Determination and commitment. You're doing it!

Kan - Joint pain is serious stuff - if your joints are really hurting and you feel like you may be in danger of worsening it, definitely lay off any high impact workouts. Hope it's feeling better soon :flowerforyou:

Tara - Great idea to measure before your weigh-in! I think you'll be pleasantly surprised :happy: Can't wait to see your results at the end of the month!

Shan - The canoe trip sounds INTENSE but awesome. I really hope you have a fabulous time, lady. Keep up the good work with all your running. You are doing such a wonderful job. I know it's serving to motivate other runners here, as well - myself included! :bigsmile:

Cait - I miss you!!! I am sorry I've been really sh*tty about getting back to you lately. Tyler and I are hoping to sort out logistics for the WD soon, including travel and accommodations. If you have any suggestions on inexpensive places to stay, I'd love to hear them. We are very flexible. Thanks

HAVE A GREAT HUMP DAY EVERYONE! Keep rockin' it!

KanCrav

~Meag... Have you thought of preparing more than one meal in a day? You can make extra of whatever you are making, and then change it up a bit the next night. Lets say you make a chicken stir fry one night. You can roast an extra chicken breast while your cooking your stir fry. Then the next night you can shred up your chicken and have a chicken taco. (bad example, but do you get what I am trying to get at???lol) Or maybe a weekend day that you are not busy (with the boy ) you can make a few meals that you can freeze. That way you will have fast easy dinners on very tired nights but you still made them yourself. Also, the crockpot is a FANTASTIC invention. Throw it in, go to work... EAT!

~Tara/Meag.... I am going to continue my workouts but wear a brace to see it is helps. Also at spin tonight I am really going to concentrate where my tension is. The problem is that there is no number or gauge for the tension, its just a screw that you turn and it gets harder. Eventually after turning it up ten times and only down 2 I cant pedal and I dont realize its the bike, I think its just me and I need to push harder. I guess the best thing to do is show up early and ask the instructor how i should gauge the tension thing. I dont want to baby the pain right now cuz I did only start "really" pushing myself in the past few weeks, so I want to strengthen myself and I feel like stopping isnt doing me any good. Another problem I have is that I get bored soemtimes and take a total off day like twice a week and other times I will go like ten days without stopping.

Uhhh, im a messs. One of my May goals was to work out with a schedule, I guess I didnt really hit that one on the head!.

drjennelle

ALERT: ACCIDENTAL SELFISH POST...

hey pals -

so i had a great morning where i felt really inspired after reading a couple chapters in "skinny *****" (no im not folliwing their every word, but yes i find them to be *****es i wouldnt mind resembling :laugh: ) and started going through my cabinets reading lots of labels and making a grocery list, preparing some healthy foods, etc. i realized that part of the reason im struggling to lose the last ideal 10-15lbs is because its no long JUST about cutting calories (which it was when i lost my first 30lbs) - now it really and truly matters WHAT im putting into my body. i do strenuous workouts and in order for my body to operate most efficiently, it needs to be fueled with good stuff, not artificial chemical crap!

so i was all ready to get back into the swing of things, catch up on the boards, etc - when things with a friend of mine took a bad turn. one of my closest friends dan, was admitted to the hospital on monday after going to the doctor for what he thought was the flu. they told him he had a blood infection and would need to be admitted for a couple of days so they could figure out the right antibiotics. last night he started to get chest pains and they told him that he would likely need be there for at least a week, and they still didn't know what was wrong. this morning he text me saying he was being moved to ICU because they think he has a blood clot or something wrong with his heart he is so scared and has no idea what is going on - he's a healthy guy - he works out, eats well, has no health problems. now he's stuck in ICU with an an oxygen mask and unable to have any food or water. he was just seen by 8 doctors at once and they are going to do an ultra sound on his heart and then run a wire from his thigh to his heart to check for blockages. it's just so scary that he's a healthy 24 year old and they have no idea what is going on. he's so scared, he keeps telling me how terrified he is i was going to go visit him (i had to call to see if ICU could even have non-family visitors) but he decided he wasn't really up for it - i know he feels awful and doesn't want anyone to see him like this, but i just hate thinking of him all alone. but i also don't want to make him uncomfortable or upset him at all by showing up. even though he's not close with them, his mother and brother are on their way at least, so he'll have someone there that he doesn't care if they see him like that. i just truly hope they figure out what is wrong as soon as possible. i know he'll be ok, i just want this awful experience to be over for him already.

so, needless to say, i got a little derailed. i was literally about to throw on clothes and go to the hospital, so i havent worked out yet, now ive just been waiting for his intermittent texts. i think ill try to workout and shower soon (luckily, being a grad student, i am just working from home again today so i can go if i need to). i don't have time to read through everyone's posts now (how is it already 1215!!!) but i truly hope you're all doing well and im so sorry ive been such a poor *kitten* kicking 20-something participator lately!! i love you all and hope to be back soon!!!!

mkingraham

Good afternoon Ladies!!

Meag- I will tell you what I do with regards to food- I plan out what I am going to eat for each meal at the beginning of the week and then I make enough for my husband and I to each have a serving at dinner and a serving for lunch the next day. Since when I get home I am often kind of tired, its nice to already know what meal I will be making and then as I am putting our portions on the dinner plate, I already have the container for the leftovers right there and ploop them on in as well. So with some preplanning I don't feel to blah. I also tend to gravitate towards the meals from the clean eating mag that say they take around 10-20 minutes of prep time. I am normally able to convince myself to do that much effort. and then when I'm really desparate I make my husband cook. It'll take some work, but I'm sure you'll figure it out.

jennelle- I hope your friend feels better soon and that the doctors figure out what's going on. It can be super stressful when someone you care about falls ill so please be diligent in getting rid of your stress the right way with exercise! If you need a friend remember we are here for you!

Tara- I like insanity although I don't know if I personally would spend the money on the set because I like to mix up my workouts. But they get my heart rate up there, and every now and then its nice to do something different. The instructor is pretty good and the emphasize that you need to take things at your own pace. They also have a bunch of different versions of different workouts at different levels so it helps to keep things fresh. I will definitely do it again when I need something different.

AFM- ran on the treadmill this morning. Its not as fun or nice as running outside, but I am struggling with my distance lately and I feel that with the treadmill I can make myself go further and I take a shorter break because I want to run further. Today wasn't to bad but my calves were really sore from my insanity workout yesterday. I have boot camp tomorrow and either a run or spin on Friday. It all depends on which instructor is teaching on Friday. Right now my planned run is 2.25 miles nonstop. I think I can do that if I don't make myself go to fast in the beginning. This morning I went out way to fast for the first 1/2 mile and then slowed down for the second half to my usual pace but I kind of did myself in. I'm sure I'll figure everything out, but outside you just figure out your pace as you run which makes it easier. Alright well wanted to pop in and say hello!

Megan