Can You Stand The Rain?

I. Can. Not. Stop. Singing. That. Song.  (Sunnnnny days, everybody loves them. Cannnn youuu staaand the rainnnn?)  It's mostly because it was in a movie preview (Oohh Taye Diggs, I can't wait until Christmas time. We'll be reunited soon.)  I saw this weekend but it also  rolls right in to this week's blog post.

So last Wednesday we weighed in at WW - up 0.4 lbs. Really? 0.4? Grr. That's ok.  We'll get that straightened out this week I hope.  After that buzz kill I really was ready for our Downtown Mile run with Jaime and my friend Amanda. As the day went on, other hurdles (other than that blasted 0.4) kept popping up.  Stupid me let lunch time get away from me so I opted for a protein smoothie and a banana for lunch  before heading downtown after work.  Big mistake. Big. Huge!   Let's just say the natives got restless in my digestive tract.  It was game on with every bathroom I crossed (and I have a HUGE public bathroom phobia. Ugh. Ew.) for the next hour and a half.  As we trekked up to the park for our race start we hit another hurdle- a giant, close-by, lightning strike followed by a hellacious thunder storm! That lightning strike really did almost make me poop my pants!

Post race wet t-shirt girls- Amanda, Me, Jaime.
Note that my boobs kept the rest of my shirt dry.
Who needs an umbrella?

As the storm went on, the thunder and lightning calmed down. The rain did not.  -But the race must go on, so off we went for our best mile time try in the pouring rain.  I might add, here, that our friend Missy (bless her heart) was waiting on top of a roof bar in the weather so she could video us running by! She showed up with cute flat ironed hair and everything, and we repaid her with a thunder storm and a soaked cell phone.  Some friends we are, huh.

We ran in the rain. Jaime kept me going along, only stopping for a few little shuffles, and were able to finish in 13 minutes! Big deal for these girls and we weren't last! It was a blast and I'm proud of our time considering I was basically praying not to poop my pants for the second half of the mile.  I know. TMI, but you'll all get over it.   After the race in our soaking wet running clothes we had a great dinner with dear friends, old and new and it was just an awesome night! {I recommend The Whiskey Jar if you're in downtown Charlottesville!} I really appreciate the support these girls give me and my other friends on the new lifestyle train with me.

Leroy Jenkins too proud of
his self after blocking my run.

I haven't had Big A training hour at the gym since last Tuesday. He's on a much needed family vacation until later this week and I've been trying to keep up the good work in his absence.  We'll see what happens we he gets his paws on me this Friday.  I've been doing mostly cardio - walking, running intervals, inclines on the treadmill, etc. and keeping up with our 100 squat challenge.  It's my off-day for that today but I'll be on 85 tomorrow! I'm almost there.  I'm not sure what we do after 100. I guess we'll see.  I had a great day out today -  2.92 miles in 47 minutes doing 30-60 intervals; running as fast a possible for 30 seconds and then walking for 60 seconds.  It was such a perfect evening for it with the lack of overkill Virginia humidity.  It was much better than my outing yesterday, which ended after about 1 mile and 1/2 with my dog lying down in protest in the middle of the street until I picked him up.  He's such a mess and he was too proud of himself.

What's on tap for the next week?  

• Back to beast mode training.
• More running outside. 
• More deep breaths as our busy season at work gets going. All of our student-athletes are coming back to school and we're gearing up for fall sports; starting with our football team which reports for training camp this weekend.  Fall fun is fast approaching!
• Hopefully I'll be a loser rather than a 0.4 gainer.
• A yard sale at my momma's house - because I can actually get rid of some clothes that are too big, rather than too small!
• I'm going to listen to this over and over: 

Out of the fog...

Well I have been totally smacked down for over a week with a nasty sinus AND ear infection.  Today is the first day since last Friday that I've felt I'm not in a fog and returning to my normal oddball self.  I tried to push through and work and work-out as much as I could but it did get me pretty good.   Thankfully, as much as I hate to take them, I finally got some good drugs on Friday and I'm much, much better!

So I was able to weigh in Wednesday morning at WW and I was a loser! -Down another 2.4 pounds.  I can see 50! 50 isn't the end-all, but it's a big number and it will be a place to almost start over and set more goals.  I also said I wasn't going to get another tattoo until I lost that much weight, so there's that.  Don't worry; no roses on my butt or tiger paws on my boobs.

What else is up? Fitness-wise I'm plugging along.  We added one of those 100 squat challenges to go along with everything else I'm doing in the gym.  So I started at 25 (with 60lbs) and move up in increments of 5 each day (3 days on and 1 off) until I get to 100.  -Then we'll do another challenge.  I'm up to 60.  I haven't been able to do them all with the full weight because of being sick, or the bar being occupied in the gym but I use the heaviest weight I have close by- which could be my full gallon water jug, a 25lb kettlebell, or a heavier free weight.  Why? I'm sure Big A needs to keep be occupied and challenged. Also, I am trying to lose all this weight but I still need a big girl booty. ;)

What's up next?  Well I'm going to train Monday and Tuesday and also try to rest as much as possible for the next couple of nights.  This sick business has drained me!  I have a 1 mile race on Wednesday with Jaime and we're hoping to greatly improve our mile time.  We'll see!


This week's obsession? Two things.

First, this.  The song's been out for a bit but I just love it, and I love this band!

Second, this picture of myself from a month or so ago.  I found it on my phone today and it cracks me up for no good reason.  You're welcome. 

Countdown to fabulous...

I love countdowns. Even dumb ones.  I think it's been too long since I counted down to some things I'm looking forward to! Don't worry, I'm at least making it snazzy.

Football season is right up there with bacon cheeseburgers and Christmas- my favorites!

Weddings are actually fun now!

I can't believe I'm only 90-ish days away from being at this for a year! (Yeah - I'm shocked too.)

I know you all will be glad when I go, come back, and shut up about it. I can't wait for this trip! We've finally just set up everything we're doing on our whirlwind, sleepless, music and sports extravaganza trip to the greater Seattle area. I really just can't wait y'all. -Music, NFL football, NCAA football, outdoorsy stuff, and lots of self portraits with or without duck-face. We can sleep on the plane.

Who doesn't love this face? His eyebrows ooze sex appeal.

Ok, ok I'm done. (Seriously, though, Neil's the man.) So other than my oddball countdowns I'm also still looking forward to 50lbs, and I am 2.2lbs closer as of last night's weigh-in. Our team is now over the 100 pound hump! We are kicking butt and chewing bubblegum...and we just ran out of bubblegum. We'll all be big losers before we know it! Two more things before I go. 

First, I actually went shopping and bought 3, yes 3 dresses! -Hot momma dresses! The news here is they came from Talbots. I normally think of that store as being for a more ah-hem seasoned lady but they had lots of cute choices. (Plus a huge sale that didn't hurt). Try them out girls - and p.s. go to the store if there's one near you because I would have NEVER purchased any of the dresses I got based on their website photos. They're not good. 

And second, here is what I'm obsessed with right now. Well ok, for the past like month and the foreseeable future. This kid is like 16 years old and she's a little sassy.

When you have a day that goes to the crapper...

The last time...

First, tonight, let's give me some cyber pats on the back for posting two days in a row! Second, I've had some conversations with different people lately about the last time I did something, or wore something, etc.  Some of these folks are life-long friends and some are more new in terms of years.  It really had me thinking about all kinds of things.  So let's play the little question-and-answer game called "The last time..."  The idea is to show y'all what I was missing out on before all of these life changes, and to remind me we're not going there again, people!

The last time I wore a size 20 (before today)-  my senior year in high school I'm pretty sure. I remember having to go to Harrisonburg (which seemed like a whole other country, even though it was really only about 35 miles away) to find a prom dress because no one around me had the big girl sizes.  I did love that black velvet dress though, even though it probably could have upholstered a love seat.

The last time I wore heels- Oh I can pin point it! It was Jaime's wedding in 2004 and they were so cute and so horrible! I know what your next question is - NOPE. I got married in flip flops, are you kidding?

The last time I went out in "gym" clothes- Yes, I owned them before  but usually used them as pajamas.  The answer is I have no clue.  I do know though, that I wear them everywhere now and no, my butt isn't always covered, so there.

The last time I ran in to someone from my past who was shocked at my weight-loss....not ever. But y'all know that'll happen one day. I still have lots of work to do before I have a Maury Povich moment with anyone.

Ok so I'm sure that's enough for you all.  -Back to school work.  Have a great week! 

Back to the blog: The case of the bad time manager

Oh. My. Stars.

It's been too long since I've posted! I've meant well all along, taking notes and making notes but man life has smacked me in the face hard-core.  By the time I'm home from work and/or the gym and I finish school work, I'm toast.  Dry, crusty, tired toast.  I'm going to pencil in more time to blog - because it helps me stay accountable and some you actually enjoy reading it, though I don't know why!

Me and Jaime at our latest 5k in June.

First, it's my 9 month mark of starting this crazy business, and my 6 month gym anniversary.  I didn't think I'd ever be typing that. That said, doing this and walking through those gym doors are the best decisions I've ever made, next to marrying my sweet husband.  I had another little victory in June with completing another 5k.  It was tough because it was very hilly and it was 200 degrees out that day.  Thank God for Jaime who made me shuffle my feet.

So let's start with the latest "breakthrough" moment. Jason and I went to a beautiful wedding yesterday and had an absolute ball!  What's the big deal?  I've been to very, very few weddings since my own.  A year or two ago I would have tried like hell to find something else to do (sending a gift, of course), or prayed for diarrhea so we wouldn't have to go.  Why? Shopping for dress clothes is horrible and should be outlawed! It got really old trying to find dresses in size 26, etc. as most them fell in to two categories:   moo-moo and great-grandmother-of -the-bride.  Who wants to wear those? And also, God forbid someone might snap a photo. Ew.

So lately I feel better, and am wearing a size 20 and even a smaller shoe size oddly enough.  I was able to find a cute dress and heels (yes, Lord, heels!) and I didn't feel like a big weirdo.  We had a great time with friends, and happily got over this little past hurdle.  Any night that ends with you walking with your shoes in your hands was a good one.

Me and the Mr. at the wedding 7/5.

I hope I'll be breaking the size barrier soon, and getting down to the 'teens.  I've got to step up a little bit to get back on the pace at which I was a few weeks ago.  Vacation was great - I managed to eat fairly well, exercise, and when I came back I had lost a few pounds.  Woohoo! That was mid-June.  I've had both up and down weeks since then but I'm still moving in the right direction.  I am starting to flirt with a big number - 50 pounds. (Did I say that out loud?)  I may actually be there by the end of the summer. I have about 12-ish pounds to go.  My team JAG girls are doing well too, and as a team we've lost almost 100 pounds between the three of us.

Training is still great. My trainer is still great because I'm a pain in the ass and he puts up with me. I'm being challenged a bit more and I'm hanging in there.  I love it. I may be a little addicted. And I know I'll keep getting better.  Where I need work, again, is with food.  I haven't been following my food plans as closely lately and it directly affects the scale.  Working on that....starting....now.