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

meagalayne

Hey ladies! Finally back and yes once again it's a short one right before bed. Had a killer workout this morning - was up at 530am but the heat was still oppressive and by the time I got home (55mins later) I was pouring sweat. Felt great though - so cleansing :bigsmile: Morning workouts seem to do a really fine job of getting me in a good healthy mindset for the day. Sure I still had random bites and cheats here and there (including a piece of hard candy at work that I have never logged but have nearly every day...) but overall I am doing well and eating good, healthy stuff. It's so much easier to feel positive when I get off to a good start.

My weekend is PACKED with awesomeness but that means less time at the computer, of course. And next weekend I am spending the holiday (civic holiday, anyway) in Ottawa again, so I'll be sparse in my comments for a while. Will definitely do my best to get the new challenge up in a timely fashion next weekend, though. I always do what I can! :happy:

Beth - I know! What a bunch of jerks, eh? :laugh: Thankfully I know they are off doing things that make them happy and healthy and they are keeping up with their commitments to themselves - setting personal targets/goals and finding balance in life, love and happiness. So it's all good. We stay in touch and I'm still PUMPED to meet them over the weekend (and totally CREAM them in the race :glasses: hahaha jk!) For toned arms... I say a combination of weight training and a regular push-up routine will do the trick. My arms got the most toned when I was following a heavy lifting routine from bodybuilding.com... But it was VERY hard on my body and not very sustainable. Push-ups are a great all-around body workout. I still do them with my circuit training and am trying to keep up some of my endurance. Hope you find something that works!

Aly - Sorry I've been absentee in commenting/responding lately. I am very happy to see you back and I hope that you do whatever works for YOU. If this thread isn't working for you, makes you feel guilty, or for whatever reason upsets you - then take as many breaks as you need! Definitely supporting you 100% either way. It sounds like you're making a lot of progress with your food choices and finding balance. Moderate pizza + beer consumption after a BIG workout like that is totally "on track" in my books. If you're sticking within your calorie range and you feel good about your choices, whether they are 100% healthy/clean or not, is all that really matters. Just being OK with making choices that fit your lifestyle, whether they are the healthiest or not, is probably one of the biggest challenges to finding balance long-term. You're working hard at it but it takes time, so be patient with yourself. Plenty of <<hugs>> coming your way! :bigsmile:

Ashley - Welcome back to fitness, girl! Glad to hear you conquered your snacking demons (ahem, wish I could do the same) and that you are feeling so positive about your progress this month. Freaking great attitude, lady :drinker: Now just keep it up! Sometimes feeling positive and motivated is hard work, so try to get on a roll and really run with it. You're doing great :bigsmile:

Meghan - Definitely doing better than most! You are fabulous - don't you forget it! I worked my way through the hundred pushups challenge twice and I must say, it can be rather discouraging. From experience I'd say to expect to repeat weeks several times over and to warn you that after week 3 (or 4 depending on your ability), the expected progress ramps up so quickly that it's virtually impossible to keep up. I just couldn't improve quickly enough. I got to about 16 or 17 consecutive push-ups and that was it for me. I could do 100 in a day, but not any more than 17 in a row without a rest. The good news was that it toned my arms really well (out of spite I ended up doing it on and off for about 4 months). Considering I could do exactly ZERO pushups when I started, it was a relative success. But just be aware that 100 consecutive pushups is a really tough ask and you may or may not end up seeing the challenge through to the end. Don't get discouraged. Just do what you can! :bigsmile:

OK folks. Bed time. Tomorrow is finally my REST day and boy do I need it... My body is WRECKED. Thank goodness. Sleeping in until 7am and then enjoying my evening with Ty. We are making dinner for the parental unit at night and then walking around downtown in the evening to bask in the warm summer breeze, find a patio, and just chill out. Should be fab. Hope you all have a great Friday!

meagalayne

Anita - Just saw your post! Eep :blushing:

My 1/2 Marathon is scheduled for Sept 18th so we can TOTALLY be training buddies I say, DO IT. You don't need a full 12 weeks to train for it. You could do it tomorrow if you had to. Just throw caution to the wind and sign yourself up. You won't regret it!

OK That's it! Goodnight

KanCrav

Ok.. so after yesterdays mishap I dont even know if I have the mental capacity to try to write everyone again.

I am reading and keeping up on everyones progress, promise! This month is just really crappy for me, mentally. It was my Daddys bday last week and I guess it bothered me more that I realized. Also I noticed that next month will be a year already. A year since he died... I just dont understand that. I cant belive it. I feel like it was last week. His number is still in my phone.

Sorry for the downer guys, I just have a really hard time realizing my feelings and I dont realize how negativly they affect me until its too late. I figure that maybe talking more will help. Idk.

Well, thanks for being here. You guys all rock. Im dong good with my food today, just need to workout some time today. I havent touched the scale all month either... still waiting for the first.

lostalykat

Meag- thanks for the comment, sometimes I take things too personally especially when I feel vulnerable and tired which I have been a lot. Refocusing my energy in a healthy way is what is important.

AFM- I have to say that I can't be in "diet" mode when I am training. And gaining weight as I have learned from myself and lots of other fellow triathletes is something that can happen, especially if you have a body type like mine and are not stick thin. I am trying to remember when I get back into weight loss mode it will happen much easier than I realize since I am so fit right now. I guess the hardest part is waiting, I started training for this race for the wrong reasons but I am glad I will have it under my belt for the future. Trying to stay around my calories is a little tough right now. I think if I am within 100-200 calories from where I "should" be to lose I am in good shape. On the days I am too tired I just make as healthy of decisions as I can. I plan to really take this on full force when my race is over and just relax and enjoy life at the same time. This will be the real challenge. I plan to be back in August and maybe even have a weight goal, but for right now I don't plan on weighing myself until at least a week after my race.

GuamGrly

Happy Friday Lovelies!!

Meag – I am sure they are all doing amazing too!! They were all great at giving advice so that is definitely missed. And I sooo wish I was in the area to do the WD with you guys!! That would definitely be motivation to get my *kitten* in gear but I know that you would still CREAM me regardless…haha!! Enjoy your weekend of AWESOMENESS!!!

Kandace – sometimes that feeling just won’t fade. My best friend passed away in March 2007 and I still have her phone number in my phone and emails that she has sent me. Obviously I am having a hard time letting go. I also cried on graduation day because she wasn’t physically there with me when I was there for hers. But I know that she, along with my dad, watch over me on a regular basis and I am always saddened that they are no longer a part of my everyday life but it brings me joy to know that they are now my guardian angels. I hope that you can eventually find joy in it also.

Aly – Your race is rapidly approaching!! And you did amazing in the past so I am sure you will kill it in August when you get back to “weight loss” mode!!

AFM…I have began to play with my food diary each day so that I can gauge how my day will go food-wise. I have yet to get back to the exercise but things should calm down after this weekend. I really would much rather focus on the food part and get that straight and then slowly add in the exercise. Tomorrow is going to be tough though!! I have a kid’s birthday party to attend with the kiddos in the early afternoon. Then they are both getting picked up and I will be off to the fair with the bf…which means fair food. We will be going fairly late so hopefully I can snack on something a little more on the healthy side so that I’m not famished when I get there and want to eat everything in sight. I am working my part-time job on Sunday so I need to prepare for that also.

If I don’t get a chance to check in this weekend…I hope everyone enjoys it!!

MandaLee8908

Sorry everyone! I have been crazy busy and mentally exhausted! But, I'm still alive (which is actually a shock to me at this point). This month has been insane...and I don't think i'm the only one who thinks that. Anyway, here goes...:ohwell:

Today was the first day I have had fast food all week...and it made me sick to my stomach. I have had a tender tummy anyway since Saturday...mild gallbladder attack-like symptoms but I don't have a gallbladder anymore. What was worse was the nausea that struck when I was logging my food and found out just how many calories are in the fast food that I ate. UGH! I'm defnitely giving it up for a little while longer. :sick:

The heat has had me drinking water like a fish! I have consistently drank 8-10 glasses of water a day for the past week without thinking "If I drink any more water I'm going to puke". I am proud of that! Also thanks to the heat I have been grabbing for fruits instead of chocolate.

Unfortunately, working out is not an option yet. My physical therapist says I need to work on loosening up my hip muscles...so about all I can do is stretch and "leisurely" walking. She has been doing soft tissue work (aka massage therapy) on me this week. I have never had a massage hurt soooo bad! My muscles are so knotted up that I have been bruising after my therapy. I really wish I knew what I had done/not done to get my muscles to this screwed up point...it's ridiculous!''

Michelle is getting worse and worse by the day. She's sleeping much more. She is incoherent when she decides to talk, but most of her "awake" time she simply startes off into space...like she is catatonic and her mind is not in the present. I"m not sure why she has held on the past two weeks...she won't say. All of her caretakers are growing very weary. She's the one that's dying and yet watching her live this way is killing us.

I'm not sure I will be on much this weekend. Tomorrow is the benefit for Michelle. Oddly enough, I also have a viewing to go to before the benefit. The at 5pm, my husband and I are going to his 10 year class reunion. And Sunday I signed up to help with the 4-H parade with my station...OY!

Kancrav-I don't know what it's like to lose a parent, but my best friend died 17 years ago this September and it hurts just like it did the day she died. :brokenheart: My thoughts are with you.

Aly-You have to do what's best for you! There isn't a set plan that works for everyone. JUst focus on your race and know that it will make you that much stronger when you come back to weightloss mode! You can do it!!!!

Well folks, I'm outta here!!! Have a great weekend everyone! :drinker:

KanCrav

Imarunner~ Thank you. My heart is with you as well. I hope the benefit goes well.

Guam~ Thanks for the kind words. In my mind i know that I need to let it go, or at least just be ok with the fact that I am sad instead of fighting myself over it. But Its just hard to realize that I am sabotaging myself while I am in such a depressed state. Thanks for remindind me that its ok to be sad. (Great pic btw)

Aly~Sounds like you have it figured out pretty well. Your race is going to be awesome, you've been training so hard! Im not weighing myself either (mostly becasue of vacation) lol...but now that I am attempting to get back into eating like I was before vaca I really want to WI, but I told myself NOT til August!!

AFM.... This week has been soo exahusting I dont even think I want to do anything this weekend. But I know I NEED to get out of the house and try to get out of my head before this depression really kicks my butt. There is a medieval fest in Regansburg today. I think me and my hubby are going to go. Its not as elaborate as some of the other Medieval fest were, but Regansburg is one of the best preserved medeval towns in germany... so maybe that will add to the fun. Only problem with going there is the Brot Stand!!~!! If we walk around as much as I think we will I might let myself have one.

Now.... I think I will get ready for the gym. I want to start back up on 30day shred but I had a really good time the other day when I went tot he gym alone and just did my own thing. I think I need that again today, some alone time with a change of scenery and some good endorphines should help curb the sadness at least for today.

I hope everyone has a good weekend.

meagalayne

Beth - I miss their great advice too! :ohwell: In fact I miss a lot of the old Kick A$$ers.... BUT I hardly have enough time to comment on here anymore myself, so I doubt I'd be able to offer much in terms of support or encouragement these days. Seems to be a one way street on here. Wish I could do more! You ladies are so fabulous at keeping my motivated and positive.

This week has been full of ups and downs. Extremely stressful at work (to the point of near breakdown on Tuesday) but ended the week on a high note staying late Friday and getting a lot wrapped up before the weekend. Fitness has been really good lately but it's just *exhausting*... For the sake of saving time, I'll copy my post to the Runners Club FYI:

"Back and happy to see all you runners logging miles! Things have been so hectic around here due to work, running, trying to travel and enjoy the summer, and attempting to catch some sleep in between, and I haven't been great about keeping up with the forums.

Got a 7mi long run on tap for tomorrow to cap off week 4 of HH 1/2 Marathon training. It's going really well so far, and I'm actually probably logging more exercise than the plan calls for on a regular basis if I include cycling and walking and everything else that I do, but I am still not feeling overly confident about my ability to complete the long runs in weeks 9-12... I am hoping to get my running confidence back 100% and simultaneously figure out how I'm going to fit all these workouts in as they get longer, the days stay super hot, and my work schedule continues to assault my spare time at every turn (or so it seems). No excuses. Gotta make it fit!

Got some good news yesterday via email - apparently I ended up scoring a bunch of points at my last 10K race (last week) and was actually awarded a prize (free tote bag!). The scoring system is done by handicap based on your rating as a runner and your finishing time. Sort of like a "most improved" system for runners. Check it out at the Road Warrior Running website http://www.roadwarriorrunning.com/ "

Pretty damn sweet that I scored so well on the race. That was definitely a HIGH :bigsmile: Food's been a challenge, as always. I just really feel like I have NO time. Today we ended up having breakfast wayyy late and being that hungry in the morning really sets me up for a bad eating day. We were out all day in the sun and ended up having Mexican for lunch. I tried to make healthy choices but the menu was VERY deceiving and ended up feeling really ****ty afterward - big surprise. We were also invited to a "BBQ" at Ty's place that we couldnt' really turn down. I usually do alright at such events because there is USUALLY a number of items to choose from and I can just take what I want and portion things out myself. Well... It ended up being a mutli-course planned menu and NOT a BBQ at all, due to the heat. His landlord is a chef and made us all plates for each course without bothering to inquire about preferences. So I ended up with a bunch of stuff I would normally kindly avoid, and very little of the "safe" stuff I could easily chow down on... Really compounded the feelings of sh*ttiness. Did I mention he made FABULOUS wild blueberry panna cotta for dessert? Mmmmm

Anyway! I've been feeling really "heavy" lately. Just bloated and kind of chubby. Not good. And my diet the last few days hasn't helped. Hoping that all the exercise this weekend (long run tomorrow) helps to get me back on track... Next weekend is a civic holiday and I've got a trip to Ottawa planned so food will likely be a challenge then as well. Just can't seem to win, eh?

:noway: Girl needs to stop complaining about her trips, free meals, and awesome life - what's wrong with me!?!?!

Hope you ladies are having an INCREDIBLE, healthy, active weekend. Stay hydrated and cool whenever possible. This heat is a killer!

anitanz

Hi Ladies,
Hope you have all had a good weekend!
Kan- Hope that you enjoyed the fair. It must be really hard without your Dad, but you are doing well by getting out of the house, keeping active and being a little social. Hope that things get better for you x pS Is the dog really eating the icecream in your pic??
imarunner- Keep away from the fast food!! I know what you mean about it making you feel physically sick when you find out how many calories are in your food. I did that the other day after I ate a chocolate bar, just wanted to turn back time LOL.
Meag- Yay! Training buddies!! Hope your 7 mile went OK. My friend and I did 14k around the area where I live, which is really hilly. In hindsight it probably wasn't the best terrain to do my first long run in about 6 months, it was so hard! haha.
AFM- I didn't hop on the scales this weekend as my muscles were sore on Saturday morning so thought I was probably holding a bit of water and wanted to save myself the drama. Did my 14k on Saturday morning and ate healthy for the day, then went out for dinner and a little wine on Saturday night. I feel like I am making healthier choices when I go out, but not really healthy enough if I want to loose a more weight. Today we had our kettle bell class, I can now do burpees with the man push-up, yay!!! Today I did 55 of them so I am expecting to be a little sore tomorrow.
Take care ladies x
Anita

KanCrav

~Anita.. Thank you. And YES he is really sharing my icecream! Thats Cody, my bff and my life .... I wasnt really a dog person before but we got him as a puppy (SOOO cute) and it happed to be 3 weeks before my mom passed. So needless to say, I needed attention and hugs and Cody never left my side. My husband tried to be supportive but he just got back from his first tour in Iraq and wasnt really emotionally avaiable for himself let alone me. So, me and Cody grew together at the heart. And the icecream helps his stomach... he got pretty sick when he was a baby and his stomach was never the same. From what I get from my own research and vet opinions, he has the doggie form of IBS. He just throws up if he gets excited or if he eats anything other than dog food or whole food. For some reason the enzymes in german dairy help calm down his stomach. He mostly gets cottage cheese but the icecream is a fun treat for both of us.

I dont know why I just rambled on for a year about my dog. Sorry. Lol.

~Meag.. Congrats on your running score!~!~! I hope you are proud of yourself, you should be. I do believe you yelled at me a few months back becasue I wasnt being NICE to myself. Now you are doing the same thing by doubting yourself on your long races. You know you can do it!~! Plus, it hasnt been that long since your "injury" healed up right? And look how amazing you are still doing, you didnt miss a beat! I hope your food life gets a little easier though. If you still feel bloated and stuff maybe you should try a green tea clense or something for a few days.

AFM.... I guess Im pretty chatty this morning. Lol. I couldnt sleep very well last night and I was pretty excited to finally get out of bed this morning. I know, weird huh??? So I am going to take advantage of my mood and go to the gym.

For breakfast I mixed a vanilla greek yogurt with a scoop of strawberry protein powder and blended it into a smoothie. SOOO good. I put some in a pan in my freezer and I am going to see what happens... maybe I will get a fun treat... it could be a disaster as well, who knows. !~! have a great sunday everyone!!!!

MandaLee8908

Gave into the fast food bug this morning before church (ran out of time at home). My body rejected it very quickly. When will I learn? LOL

KanCrav

Oh look.. me again.Hehe. Where is everyone!~!~???? I giess it is the wee hours of the morning most of you. but Happy Monday Anyway!!~!~! I feel bad saying this... but I am SOOO happy my husband is back to work. OMG. Im glad hes 14 years from retirement cuz I couldnt deal with him for 7 days of nothing to do!~! lol. Now I see the problem in him working and me NOT working. He really needed a week of doing nothing to recharge.. but all I wanted to do was travel and shop!.... so I guess you can see the dilema there. Now its back to routine. Wake up at 6.... Jesse (husband) leave... Kile (brother) leaves.. and then its just me and Cody. A little light cleaning, nice long walk... 30 day Shred.. and then whatever I want to do after that. Today I am going to The Education Center and signing up for some courses online. Its been a little ove 5 months since my last drink so I would like to think that I can count of my sobriety lasting a little longer.. so school it is!!!! I was going to loo for a job but I started selling Scentsy, I havent had any partys yet but I just recieved all my stuff.. so next month my "job" will start. So I need to end July in a BIG way so August doesnt seem intimidating.

SHred... Spin... School....

Ill be back in 6 hours to let you all know if I accomplised them all!

Morning!~!~!

allie7383

Hey all! Hope everyone had a great weekend! Def seems this thread has slowed down a bit, and I know I haven’t been posting as I used to as well. Nothing too exciting on my end.. I was on vacay last week and though I stayed home I was able to get out and enjoy the weather and longer day times.. On Monday I went to a free trial kickboxing at this franchise place (that I think is only in NJ), and loved it. However when they told me the membership, which is yearly, no month-to-month, would be $199 to go 2x/week, I had to keep my eyeballs in my head, and later on told them I couldn’t do it due to other financial obligations.. I was so taken aback. I have yet to join the gym near me that costs $20/month, and they expect me to pay what?!? Oh well, thank goodness for my Turbo! On Wed I went to NYC to the Met Museum to see an exhibit.. The weather was fab, and I got to walk across Central Park and enjoy my $3 lunch from the hot dog cart while watching the world go by the front of the museum.. followed by a nice stroll/window shopping down 5th Ave before heading home.. Even though I was by myself I had a totally great day.. On the not so positive side, the excessive heat has kept me from running, and I’m so so far behind for this half marathon.. I pulled something on my right side from that dang kickboxing and all week it hurt when I coughed.. Foodwise I was a total failure, but now that I’m back to work I’m watching it more now, and actually getting exercise in.. Def will not be achieving the monthly goal of getting into the 130’s..

Kandace- Hope you’re feeling better lady. I lost my father 9 years ago, and I while I was able to deal with it, I watched my mother go through a severe bout with depression, and even today I can’t talk about it with anyone as it was the worst time of my life.. Big congrats on the 5 month mark! Glad you had a wonderful vacay, and good luck with the classes. What are you thinking of taking?

Anita- 14k? that’s awesome! Can’t wait til I can run that far! There’s a part of me that is still disliking running, as I feel like I keep hitting the mental wall after 2 or so miles, and find it hard to push through. Trying to focus on getting that feeling of being free, and the wind going past, etc.. Congrats on the burpees! Def a tough one with the push-ups!!

Meag- Sorry to hear work is so crazy for you! Believe me I know the feeling of having the breakdown.. I hope it doesn’t carry into your head after you leave, as this is my biggest problem, and has even led to insomnia.. Even if it’s only for a trip to the bathroom, step away from the desk. It really is the best thing.. Focus on all the super awesome people and plans you’ve got goin on! Many congrats on your running victories, with the race time and half marathon training! You’re gonna be rockin it!! At this point I’m hoping to be able to run at least the first 6-7 miles straight and from then we’ll just see what happens

Imarunner- How was your benefit? I can’t even imagine what you’re feeling watching Michelle, but sending many hugs your way.. Hopefully she will go peacefully… As for the fast food.. Next time you feel you want it, just think about how awful it physically made you.. I had French fries from our hopsital’s cafeteria one night after a long period without them, and a few hours later my stomach was personally revolting against me lol. Now when I feel I want them, I think of those cramps, and get pretty turned off of the idea.. good luck, one day at a time!

Bethany- hope you enjoyed the fair! I hear ya with those food choices though lol. Near my house we have a Dairy Queen next to a Dunkin Donuts, and sometimes you drive by and get the combined smell of the donuts and ice cream cones, and I tell you, I think that’s what heaven must smell like lol.. I remember last year the big thing at the fairs was the Krispy Kreme burger, which looks about as gross as it sounds.. ugh..

3 more hours of work for this girl.. it’s quiet now, but will be getting busy in an hour so hopefully the time will pass by quickly.. have a great Monday!

MandaLee8908

Allie- The benefit raised over $5,400 in cash and they haven't even counted the change yet! I didn't make it to the benefit itself...I stopped by Michelle's to see her and she was so close...we didn't think she was going to make it through the afternoon. We had a good cry...prayed a lot. We really thought each breath was her last. But I saw her yesterday...and it was a complete turnaround! She was awake, smiling, talking some (she had been signing and pointing to a picture board we made her), and LAUGHING! She was even eating! While I was there she ate 3 hot dogs and a plate full of chips! It was amazing! God is definitely at work in that house

mkingraham

Good Morning Ladies-

I don't have time to respond to everyone today and I have a very busy day ahead of me, but I wanted to at least drop in. And I've been reading what you all are up to!

This weekend was nice and relaxing. I took a half day on Friday and drove up to visit my bestie in Philly. She has a 6m old daughter and it was fun to see her. I had a 2m run scheduled for Saturday and I went out around 8:30 and it was already into the 90s with a heat index at almost 100. I powered through, but boy have I been running slow. I was just impressed with myself that I actually made myself do the scheduled run. That is HUGE for me. We then went to the local aquarium and did some walking around. We also ate pretty crappy. I tried to make good decisions but when we don't cook at home its always a lot harder. So needless to say my not eating out until our cruise is caput. Then on Sunday we woke up and drove home. I did a lot of relaxing on the couch before heading to the grocery store and getting ready for work. This morning was another two miles and it was another struggle. My calves have been cramping up and I think that its because I haven't had a banana in over a week. I already had one this morning and have picked up enough for my usual daily banana. Hopefully this will help along with a lot more stretching. It is making me really nervous about continuing on when I am having such a difficult time with 2 miles right now. However, I made myself register for a 10k on Sept 24 which will be the week I get back from my cruise as well as the week I should be running 6 miles. So it works out nicely. I also have a 10k that I think I will partake in on Oct 16 which is when I should be doing 4 miles so 6 will just be an added bonus of 2. I don't have anything picked out for November right now and then the race is December 3. 9 miles just seems sooo far. I am trying to only think of the training week I am on but it is definitely struggle. I guess I will just have to keep pushing through. I will try and keep up with you ladies throughout the day!

Megan

mkingraham

Well i had a productive day at work and now i'm off to a happy hour and hoa meeting. .. Maybe someone will have posted by then

GuamGrly

Happy Monday Lovelies!! I had started to post earlier but am having a bad day emotionally so I thought I would come back to it. And I attempted to share some encouragement over the weekend but my roommate has gotten in the habit of turning off the wireless router when she goes out of town…really wish she would stop doing that!

Mandy – glad to hear that you are getting your water in!! I am sure your body appreciates it too!! Sorry to hear about Michelle. Perhaps she is hanging for one more person to say their goodbyes and give their consent. I imagine at that point, its not worth anymore either. Glad you could pop in!!

Kandace – I think its very important to come to terms with your emotions. You have every right to be sad, even a year later. I think that if you were to embrace your feelings a little more rather than run from them, you might start to heal. And thanks for the compliment!! That medieval fest sounds like so much fun…I love history!! Haha…I know what you mean about the hubby (well kinda)…I don’t like getting thrown off of my normal routine and stuff like that gets you out of doing the things that you are used to. Sounds like you have a lot on your plate now. Make sure to take things one day at a time and don’t stress!! And most importantly, keep being good to yourself!!

Meag – either way, you are doing amazing to me!! I can see that you have grown so much into your new lifestyle and have had the ability to relinquish control when you realize it will be more of a battle not to. Kudos to you girly!!

Anita – we all have to start somewhere, so if you are slowly making healthier choices when dining out, sounds as though you are not completely oblivious to your goals and what you are working toward. Great work girly!!

Allie – your trip to NYC sounds amazing!! That is my FAVORITE city!! Haha…and in my mind, that’s exactly what heaven smells like!!

Megan – hope your banana cures your cramping!! It will be nice once you get that under control.

AFM…didn’t make it to the fair on Saturday which was a good and bad thing. Tried to do ok food-wise since I was still at a bday party during the day. Work yesterday which was more not-so-great choices. Today I had no appetite to speak of until about 5pm. Need to get regulated and do this!! And I think that getting out of bed early just isn’t an option for me until my daughter goes back to school cause I am enjoying sleeping in with her.

Hope everyone is off to a great week!!

lalonmeg000

Kandace- hang in there girlie, I can't even imagine what that is like, but you are so strong!

Meag- again awsome job at the races! I truely admire you. I also hope slows down a bit for you, I know that can be absoultely draining.

Allie- NYC! How fun, I will be applying to NYU in the next year for grad school. What is your favorite part about NY?

Megan- banana's will certainly do the trick! My calfs do the same thing! But great job on pushing through the workouts.

imarunner- that is so wonderful to hear about your loved one! God is awesome in so many ways.

AFM: back to the old grind. My staycation was very nice, I was able to drive up and see my mom, dad and grandparents that I havn't seen since April and probably won't get to see again till late October.

I almost didn't go to my bootcamp today, because Texas heat is just plain miserable at 5:30 in the afternoon, but I made myself go (on account that I already paid for it mostly) and it wasn't as bad as I had expected. I didn't push myself like I could have, but honestly I was just glad to be there, and that I could still keep up after being gone for almost 2 weeks. Today has been okay eating wise. I am still struggling with eating a good amount, I am either over my calorie limit or way under. Tonight is way under, 700 plus whatever I burned at the gym. It's almost 9pm here though and I really don't want to eat a large meal right before going to bed. Any suggestions of healthy snacks I could munch on during the day? I am not trying to avoid eating, but days when I get caught up with work, school, and running arrends I honestly just don't stop to make time.

I am going to see Katy Perry this friday with a few friends that I dance with, so I am really going to try hard to get at least 30min of cardio in everyday and try hard not to go over my calorie limit so I can splurge a little Friday night.

One last positive before I call it a night, I was accepted into the Computer Science Minor program at my school. I am nervous, havn't programmed in over a year, but God is good, and I know that he has a plan, and I couldn't be more thankful for this 2nd chance (it was originally my major and we had a falling out, and I was and still very shocked the department gave me a 2nd chance)

Love and Loyally,
Meghan

Bunny393

Hey everyone... So i'm very new still but loving this app on my phone. Very thankful for all the suport!!!

I'm not sure if I am even doing this right but...

1. work out 3 mornings this week.

2, do 45 min of cardio when I go to the gym.

3. dont go over my 1200 calories.

meagalayne

Morning gals :bigsmile:

Just posted the following recipe: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/186832-cooking-challenge-cabbage?page=3#posts-3963765 Been LOVING this Mexican style coleslaw lately. We recently made it as a topping for cajun spiced shrimp tacos, but I made another huge batch last night because it's just way too good. Along with my homemade pico and kimchi, I'm a condiment-making machine :laugh: Love love love. You should try this one - So good! And only about 60cals per cup

Otherwise, life has been good and busy. Getting in all my runs and workouts somehow (including a fast 4miles this morning at 6am and an hour worth of yoga last night) and trying to get ready for the long weekend. Monday is a civic holiday here so I've got a 4 day car trip to visit my bestie in Ottawa planned once again. It should be awesome and relaxing but I know getting my runs done will be a challenge and food is always a problem when you are visiting others who aren't overly supportive or having terrible eating habits (check on both those with this friend, unfortunately). But I'll make it happen!

3773 - Welcome :flowerforyou: Goals look good and happy to have you. Month is almost up, so we'll be starting a new thread over the weekend. Hope you join us there :bigsmile: I always post the link to the new thread at the bottom of the existing one so you can find it here on the first!

Meghan - Thanks! Yes - work can definitely be draining. It's just emotionally taxing, really, but affects my eating and sleep a lot. Oh well! Good for you for making it to bootcamp regardless. Sometimes we just need to do it, even when we feel sh*tty and unmotivated. I've never regretted a workout. Not ever. It's just extra hard to get one started some days. So good for you :bigsmile: And congrats on the acceptance! :drinker: That is so exciting :bigsmile: Computer programmers are the coolest bunch around - so I am thrilled to have you in our group! (Totally biases since my partner is a programmer as well )

Beth - Hope you get your appetite back and find some time to dedicate to you once again. I know that life and circumstance can be stressful. Lots of hugs and good vibes coming at you. You'll figure it out - you always do! Your perseverance and dedication are so motivating to me

Megan - Not sure about the cramping as I've never had that problem... Potassium is key, though. Bananas and raw broccoli are great for that. Also, make sure you are staying adequately hydrated. I know that dehydration is a leading cause of muscle cramping and if you are running in 90+F temps, you need a LOT of water to replenish your stores. Do you run with water? If not, get yourself a hydration belt. I never run without one! Even 3 mile runs now still call for hydration. It's just way more comfortable knowing I have water if I need it and it's good to keep yourself "lubricated" as you run. Also good for cool down when your body is desperate for some water. Good luck with those hot and steamy runs!

Alright - Off to work again! Tuesday's are always the most hectic. Fingers crossed I don't have to work too much overtime. We've got a sweet barbecue planned for tonight. Grilled sirloin steaks, grilled veggies, sweet potatoes and corn! YUM!