Happy Tuesday

I did week 3 day 3 again on the dreadmill today.  I finished it and was absolutely soaked afterwards!  I had sweat dripping everywhere and I was loving every minute of it.  I wanted to keep going, even though I was on the dreadmill, but I had to jump off and get ready for work. 

I'm thinking about trying week 4 next run, even though it terrifies me.  I have a hard time running the full 3 minute runs, and I know the 5 minute ones are going to be ridiculous!  I just keep telling myself that with every step I make with the C25K, I am one step closer to my goal.  I just have to keep pushing myself, so that one day I will be able to call myself a runner!!

So, besides my amazing run this morning, I thought I would share a few pictures from the past couple of days.  Here's is some photo fun:

  This is my gorgeous breakfast from this morning.  Raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, and strawberries with Strawberry Greek Yogurt.  YUMMO!

This is me with the Birthday girl (Rocksan) over the weekend.  Geez, I need some sun!  That's my new top I got from Jcpenny's for $12.  It was SO cute on.

And lastly, Brynners is walking now.  I'm exhausted with it, but this is her in her new tennis shoes.  More on her tomorrow when I post about her at 11 months old.  :) 

 

C25K Week 3

Week 3 consists of a 5 min warm up, 2 intervals of running for 90 seconds and walking for 90 seconds, 2 intervals of running for 3 mins and walking for 3 mins, and a 5 minute cool down. 

The first day I did week 3, I had a hard time completing the end of the workout.  I did try it on the treadmill, which I flippin' hate running on and I did it first thing in the morning, so I hadn't ate anything.  I think not having the full energy that I needed stopped me from completing it. 

So, I then tried it on Friday and was able to complete it without stopping.  The weather was absolutely fabulous and it was such a great feeling.  I loved every minute of it!!

I took yesterday off since I was busy to the extreme with cleaning house, taking photos, and then we went out for the evening for a friend's Birthday.

By the way, check out this ball of cuteness!!!  These are some of the photos I took of Cellan yesterday for his first Birthday photos. 

That child has eyes to die for, he has these beautiful eyelashes.  He's pretty much adorable!  If you want to keep up with my photography business, you can add me on facebook- Creative Smiles Photography.

So, I lost 5.4lbs for the week!  I'm totally stoked about it.  I know, I'm random.  :)  I just wanted to throw that in, because I am proud of my week.  I had two bad days where I went over on my calories, but only like 200 extra, so I still stayed under 1500 calories for those days.

Tonight I ran with a my new (used) jogging stroller.  When I first had Brynn, my father had told me that a buddy that he worked with wanted to give me his jogging stroller if I would use it.  At the time, I wasn't looking to work out and I just wanted to spend time with my newborn.  Well, now that I am running and Brynn enjoys strolling, I asked my dad if the gentleman still had the stroller.  He still had it and asked only $20 for it.  This is what I got for ONLY $20!!  I am super geeked.

It's a 2008 model, but it's in great shape.  So, I did the last day of week 3 tonight, and I think I could have finished it if I didn't have the stroller.  I had to stop the last minute of running, my legs just would not push.  I felt like I was running in slow motion.  I was also tired from staying out until 2:30am on Saturday night.  I would have been dragging regardless, and I knew this before I started.

So that's my weekend in a nutshell.  I hope everyone else had a good one as well!

Skinny Gal.....  Somewhere. 



MyFITNESSPal. Motivational Friday. Randomness.

I never realized how difficult it was to actually stay within a value until I started my myfitnesspal account.  I not only have 2 numbers to obsess about (calories and my weight), but now I have carbies, protein, and fat grams to play with too. 

So, this is my goal per day:

1200 Calories, 165g of Carbs, 40g of Fat,
and 45g of Protein.

It's been near impossible to stay within the limits of my protein!!  Every day I go over on Protein and I don't eat that much meat!!  I do eat Greek Yogurt just about every day, so I know that it has quite of bit of protein in it. 

Anyways, what's fun about the program is that, yes, I have a hard time staying in the values, BUT, it gives me something to strive for.  Even going over on numbers, I typically always stay within my calories.  It all works itself out.  It's a fun little challenge and I'm intrigued with the nutrition data it gives me. 

So far this week, I have lost 4 lbs.  :)  Not too bad....  Not too bad at all!!  I've worked out twice and I hope to work out this evening and Saturday as well.  Keep your fingers crossed for me, I have a TON to do this weekend, so I hope to get my workouts in. 

So, I think I have officially been sparked again on the weight loss front.  I am back to drinking water like it's going out of style, even when I'm placed in a social-alcoholic atmosphere.  Call me lame, but I am happier losing weight than I am drinking. 

Besides, drinking typically only leads to bad decisions for me.  I'm a happy drunk and I typically become even more social, flirty, and start hanging on people that I shouldn't be hanging on.  I also think I can dance, when I can't....  I have white girl moves that you've never seen!!!!!!  Actually, I have big hips, and they don't lie or move that much for what it's worth.  I'm a horrible dancer...  It's something I would like to work on when I become much thinner than I am now.

This is totally me when it comes to going out with friends.  It's something I am trying to look passed.  Here lately if I am not having fun, I just go home and my hubs and I have started driving separately:

This happens when I hang out with certain people, I often hear all about my shenanigans the next day from the huz:

Not that I get so wasted that I can't remember, but I have squirrel syndrome and I often forget the things I do even when I am sober.  It's pretty much ridiculous!  When I add any type or volume of alcohol to the mix it gets worse and my attention span is pretty much nonexistent.

SOOOOOOOOO.........   Motivation for the weekend, bitches! 

SO true! 

I don't know if I will EVER have a midsection like this, but a gal can wish and dream, right??
XOXO,

  

My NEW Challenge

So, in the Arendt household we've had the stress pouring out the top of our roof the past couple of weeks.  Thankfully, I think things will start to slow down soon. 

I get stressed when I don't have the time to workout, clean house, mow the lawn, pull the weeds out of my gardens, do the dishes, etc.  I have no idea why appearance is so important to me, but I think it's because my father rubbed off on me.

My husband rarely gets stressed out.  He constantly tells me, "It'll be ok baby".  To that, I usually roll my eyes and continue to stress out to myself.  Telling him that I am stressed out does nothing to ease the situation.

Well, finally he is stressed out.  :)  We basically have a jungle of a yard, the house looks like a tornado, but hey, I am finally getting some workouts in again.  I guess sometimes you just have to sacrifice the appearance of your home to get a little bit of time for yourself when you have children.  I can't do it all myself, but typically I do.  I am a strong female, and I have ALWAYS taken care of myself and my home with NO help. 

I wish I could afford a house cleaner.  Unfortunately, I don't think that will ever be in the budget.  I also think it's a waste of money sometimes to hire someone else to do something that you can for free.  If I had money oozing out every where, I would hire someone else.  If only I was that fortunate.....

Anyways, on to the fun challenge.  I now have a new goal that doesn't include weight loss!

Both my husband and I are social smokers.  A nasty habit I picked up in my early 20's that repeatedly comes back to haunt me.  It really is a mindset though.  I quit for 3 1/2 year with my ex-husband, I quit while I was pregnant with my daughter, and for some reason I picked it back up when I am at the bar drinking.  I guess the point is, is that when I have a reason to quit it seems to be very easy to do so.

Anyways, I my newest goal on the weight loss front has been to do the C25K 3-5 days a week and eat 1200 calories.  So far this week I am at a 3.4lb loss in 2 days, which is FABULOUS!  I realized yesterday that I need to fully commit myself and sign up for a 5K deadline if I am going to make this running business a priority.  So, I am thinking Race for the Cure which is in 7 weeks.  EEK!

In all these ramblings, there is a point to the story....   :)  So, the hubs is stressed last night and asks me if I want to go outside and smoke with him.  THIS IS NOT SOMETHING WE DO AT OUR HOUSE!  The only time we smoke OUTSIDE of the house is if we have a party, which happens only once/twice a year.

I realized last week that I needed to quit again and for good.  Last week, I didn't work out once, ate like crap, smoked with co-workers occasionally, went out and drank beer one night, etc.  I FELT LIKE CRAP!  I noticed a huge difference from eating healthy, working out and not smoking/drinking.  So, Sunday I told myself that I needed to make some major life style changes if I want to continue to feel better.

So, I told Shawn that I am quitting and I think he should too.  It's something that we both want to do, but then for whatever reason we come back to it when we are dragged into it socially.  I told him that I wanted to run a 5K race in September and the smoking doesn't help with my running, since I am a poor runner to begin with.

He proceeds to tell me, "Well, I tell you what.....  I will continue to smoke, eat what I want, not run one day before this race, and I will run in your 5K with you and I will still beat you....."

CHALLENGE ACCEPTED!!!!

He is REALLY thin, so I am sure he'll still be able to beat me, but I'd like to actually see him do something other than sit in a chair and play computer games.  I have many things against me.  He ran track in Highschool, he isn't over weight (I am carrying 65 extra pounds), and his stride is longer.

It would mean the world to me if I could beat him....  SO, I'm really going to push.  Just so I can say, "I told you so...."

He doesn't believe that eating healthier or working out matters for whatever reason, because he can eat what he wants and not work out and still be stick thin.  Yea, I'm a hater.....

This is going to be my new moto/motivation:

LOVES IT!!!

                  

Burn Out

I can tell that I definitely hit burn out mode on the weight loss front.  I've been going at it for about 6 months now and I'm finally just getting tired of being so strict with what I eat and having to work out. 

My trend has been, for about 2 months now, to work hard for a bout a week, maybe two, and then careless the following week.  My results have just stopped.  I'll lose weight the strict weeks and gain it back during the one bad week. 

It really gets to the point where you just hate your body.  You start to question, your why.  Why I decided to lose weight from the beginning, why I work so hard, and why I need to do this.  My "why" started with my daughter.  She is the reason for me wanting to be thinner and feel better about myself.  Of course, I do enjoy all the comments about how far I have came and how much better I look too. 

I'm finally just to the point where I feel comfortable in my own skin.  I know I still have a long way to go, but I don't feel like there is a rush anymore. 

I think I finally hit burn out from both the hard core work outs and the healthy eating.  Lately, I haven't had time to workout.  Work has been a complete mad house, Brynn is constantly on the go now that she is walking, and my photography business has picked up.  I did photos last week and I have appts the next two weeks as well.  Editing photos takes up SO much time.  It's no wonder it cost $300+ from the professionals. 

I've actually decided to drop out as a Beachbody coach.  I haven't had the time to dedicate to it AND the time I do dedicate to it seems to be wasted.  In the beginning, I would take 30 mins to an hour with people, just talking to them about the programs.  The answer always seemed to be, "I am definitely going to do it next pay day".  Then, next pay day comes and they still haven't bought anything OR they end up buying it from ebay, amazon, or have it burnt off the Internet.  It's frustrating!  I would take my time that I should have been working out or spending time with Brynnie with these people and yet, they would never follow through with me.  It got to the point where I realized that I couldn't keep buying new Beachbody programs just to stay active as a coach.  We live paycheck to paycheck unfortunately, and that extra money is always needed for my kiddos.  For instance, Brynn needs a convertible seat now and that's where my extra money is going next pay day.

I think their programs are ALL fabulous and I swear by them, but people these days want a miracle diet and/or pill.  No one wants to work out.  Heck, if it wasn't for my kiddos, I would be working out all the time.  I miss having the freedom to go to the gym for hours at a time. 

Regardless, I think I just need to go back to simple for a while.  Diet comes first (Weight Watchers), and try to work out at least 3 times a week and more if time allows it!!

Keeping it simple for a while.  Let's see how that goes.  :)

Best Garden Salsa EVER!

Garden Salsa

So, my mom and I had a ton of veggies from various gardens, so we made this salsa recipe, which was absolutely fab.  We used all ingredients from gardens except the canned items. 

Ingredients:

• 8 cups tomatoes, peeled, chopped and drained
• 2 1/2 cups onions, chopped
• 1 1/2 cups green peppers
• 1 cup jalapeno pepper, chopped
• 6 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 teaspoons cumin
• 2 teaspoons pepper
• 1/8 cup canning salt
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup vinegar
• 1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce
• 1 (12 ounce) can tomato paste

Directions:

1. Mix all together and bring to a slow boil for 10 minute.
2. Seal in jars and cook in hot water bath for 10 minute.
3. This is a medium salsa. This is also a chunky salsa so if you want a smoother salsa cut your veggies into smaller pieces.
4. Yields 3-6 quarts or pints.

Of course, you can't have salsa without chips!!  I found these chips at Sam's and I seriously heart them!  As you  can see, my bag is almost gone...  :(

Check out the values, the are actually really tasty AND they are healthier:

ZERO Trans fat, NO artificial flavor or colors, GLUTEN free, LOW sodium, NO cholesterol, NO hydrogenated oils, and salted with Sea Salt.  I saw them at Walmart the other day as well.  :)



Keeping it Light

I know it's been a while since I last posted.  It's not that I haven't wanted to type something out, it's that I've just been boggled down, but that's really what I want to talk about today.

I've spent the past month pining over my own struggles.  I haven't lost weight (though I haven't tried too terribly hard), I'm stuck in a dead end job, I didn't get a promotion that I needed (Though, my best friend got the promotion and I am happy and proud for her.  She deserved it!), and I'm just tired of living from paycheck to paycheck. 

I for the most part bottle up my emotions.  I'm pretty good at concealing the struggles I am going through, but the past month has not been easy for me to just bottle it all up.  It's, for the most part, because I am just tired of the stress and it's on overload lately.  Stressed out individuals can do some major damage to themselves and to others. 

I woke up this morning, remembering something an old colleague had told me when I worked at my previous job.  He told me to, "ALWAYS keep it light".  Now, that's not a statement that most people will toss out to you, but what he meant by that was to always keep your head up, be likable, joke, laugh, smile, be positive, because all these things come across in your attitude and energy.  People and good things are drawn to positive energy.  No one wants to be around someone that is constantly stressed out and worried anyways.

Usually people that get in this mode go NO WHERE!  They continue to do the same thing over and over and they never pull out of it.

DON'T LET THIS BE YOU.

What I realized today is that through all this, I AM THANKFUL.  I have a beautiful family, I HAVE a job that provides for them, and even though I am still over weight, I am relatively healthy.

Not many people can say these things in the economy we are living in.  Many are struggling in more ways than I am.  Many do not have jobs.  Many do not have their health.  Lastly, not many have loving supporting families. 

So be thankful for what you do have and stop concentrating on what you don't have.  If I've learned anything for this struggle the past month it was to find Stephanie again.  I sometime lose track of who I actually am and what I believe in. 

Know what you believe in and the right from wrong.  Stand up for yourself, because at the end of the day you will always have your integrity.  :)

Skinny Gal..... Somewhere.