Last Day in Humboldt, Last Day in May

May, a very good month. First 5k ran and first month of blogged. The end of May... not so hot. Still have no voice, although I feel about 80% recovered. I still have some coughing fits, but the most annoying thing is still having no voice after FIVE days!!! My parents have been very loving, and have gotten the hang of some of my 'sign language'.

I had my final meal at my parents house, peanut butter toast. A luxury because I never buy bread or peanut butter. Tomorrow is the start of a new month, and the refreshing start to a new month of healthy living. I have already made a Trader Joes shopping list to restock my fridge since all I left in it before the trip was string cheese and V8. I have also planned out when I will be going to the gym (when I'm feeling 100%). I looked through my emails and found that my run is actually on Sunday instead of Saturday, so I have one more day to try to get better.

Also, I know this happened last Tuesday, but the Biggest Loser Finale showed! I was so happy to have three women at the end, I really didn't care who won! Olivia took first place, but I just love seeing all their transformations! Last night I watched Extreme Makeover: Weight Loss Edition. They follow a person through their weight loss journey for a year. I just can't get enough of people transforming their lives and bodies. I think this will be my new obsession until the Biggest Loser starts again in September. You can be sure that the cover from this magazine and some of the photos from inside will be posted on the fridge at my apartment! Right now we have Kim Kardashian, Jennifer Hudson, Drew Barrymore, and Kendra "Whatever her last name is". I think some of them will need to be replaced with these real life butt kickin' women!

Day Four of No Voice

Still no voice. Made it home to Arcata safe and sound (or no sound...). Dad is feeling a lot better only with the occasional cough. I am still coughing especially at night, and still can't talk. I've taken to writing on a pad of paper to communicate with my parents because I can't even really whisper.

I have decided to stay in Humboldt until Wednesday the 1st. I hope by that time I will be able to talk again. I looked at the gym schedule to see if anything had changed (which it usually does). But at one of the gym I go to there is a new class called UJam Fitness. The description is as follows: This class unites world beats with urban flavor and takes you around the world from hip-hop to Bollywood with an intense cardiovascular workout! Easy to learn dance steps choreographed to high energy music that makes you sweat, tone your body and leaves you craving for more! I can't wait to get home and try it!


I hope that on the 1st everything will be all good and back to normal. I can get back to eating right, working out (at least a little), and getting back on track. My parents want me to forgo the 5k on Saturday, but I just can't! I will be walking it if nothing else! :)

And... I Have No Voice

Woke up this morning with no voice... great! We drove from Portland to Medford, OR to meet up with my sister's boyfriend and his mom who are up here for a soccer tournament. She is staying with him so I get a bed all to myself! I am hoping for the most amazing nights sleep I have ever had and to wake up in the morning feeling 100% better! (Positive thinking, right?)

Hilary the tea bandit strikes again!

I have been taking tea from the downstairs lobby like I am making millions off of it on the black market. Although that isn't what I'm doing, in fact, I am drinking approximately a million cups of tea a night to keep myself from coughing. To the left is my newest stash of tea. I am already six bags in. I need need need to be better by next Saturday for my run! Not only will I be out $35 dollars, but I won't be able to try to beat my time. (Which by the way, is now conveniently posted in a list on the left side of my blog)

Tomorrow we will be driving home to Arcata (I think, there is talk about staying another night but the hotel as of now is booked due to the soccer tourney. I wouldn't be opposed to staying in a plush hotel bed another day recovering, because that is probably what I would be doing, but on my parents couch!) I have been horrible with imputing information into my body bugg. I have been keeping track of what I eat, but it is hard when some hotels don't have free WiFi, and this cold is putting a huge damper on my tracking efforts! But I will be back to counting calories, posting stats, and going to the gym when I get back to Sacramento on June 1st!

The family and I (looking and feeling like death) digitally placed in front of the Seattle skyline at night as a souvenir from the Space Needle

Death Becomes Her

I am officially sooo sick :(

Luckily I am with family and they are taking great care of me. Last night we went to Hale's Brewery. I couldn't resist an amazing sounding burger and some beer. I then had a hot tea and Ricola cough drops for dessert instead of the yummy chocolate things my family bought from the market next door to the hotel.

This morning we went to a yummy breakfast place where I got a bacon crepe and potatoes. It is really hard to make good eating choices when you feel like death. Then we headed to the Duck Tours. I think my parents and sister are trying to kill me making me go on an open air tour while it is 55 degrees, raining and I am sick. It was a nice tour, but I'm sure it would have been better in full health and in the summer.

My dad and I got some Thai food for lunch which helped clear up my head cold for a bit because it was so spicy. We came home and napped while Bre and Mom shopped down town until it was time for dinner.

We went to different brewery and I got a pulled pork sandwich, but ate few fries so I felt good about that. Then my family decided to get dessert again from the market. My request for desert, more cough drops and a Pellegrino water. Good choice. NyQuil and DayQuil have been my best friends this trip. Needless to say it is hard to make good eating choices when on vacation, and it is nearly impossible when you are sick on vacation. The minute I feel better it is back on the straight and narrow!

We are leaving Seattle for Portland tomorrow morning after stopping at the Space Needle and a Crumpet Shop. I hope that I can make it through the morning until I can get to the other hotel and crash.... like I'm going to do now... Good Night.

Seattle Sight Seeing

Pikes Market

We made it to Seattle, got settled into the hotel, and headed to dinner at Zeeks Pizza. It was a super good place (although pizza is not the healthiest choice). I was feeling adventurous so I tried the "Thai One On" pizza that had a peanut sauce, grilled chicken, carrots, bean sprouts, and cilantro on it. Bre and Mom thought I was crazy for trying it but they aren't very adventurous when it comes to eating. But Dad tried it and really liked it. We ended up seeing a Beatles themed laser show at the Seattle Center which I thought was kinda a bust, but it was interesting. When we got back to the hotel I started to feel a cold coming on. My dad is already sick with a cold, and I felt as though I was catching it.

When I woke up in the morning I felt as though someone was sitting on my chest. It was hard to breath and it felt like I needed to cough all the time. We went down to the hotel breakfast where I ate well. We walked to the monorail near the Space Needle, and took it into down town. We walked about 4 blocks to Pikes Market Place. It was amazing seeing such fresh seafood and produce. It made me wish that I lived here so I could have bought it all to make an amazing dinner!

Seal at the Original Starbucks

We then walked around visiting the first Starbucks. And we just had to grab a coffee. Then we walked a few blocks to the downtown area where Bre wanted to do some shopping. We stopped at a Sephora, Old Navy, and Forever 21. It was nice for her since they don't have those shops back in Arcata. I wasn't in the shopping mood feeling sicker by the minute.

I had picked a place that had Pub Trivia that was close to our hotel for dinner that night. When I picked it I didn't know what type of food it had, I just knew it was close to the hotel and sounded fun. I love doing Pub Trivia back in Sacramento and thought it would be fun to do with the family. In going to their website I found it was an Indian Pub, The Great Nabob. I was excited to try the new food, but I got a lot of flack from my mom and Bre not wanting to eat there. After dragging them there we ended up having a great meal of curried edamame, samosas, chicken tikka, and naan bread. Even Bre said it was "ok", at least she didn't spit out the food at the table. Trivia ended up being really fun. We got 22/45 questions right, which was about middle of the pack.

Today we did the Seattle Underground Tour walking through the original city at ground level. It was fun, but by the end of it I was super tired. We ate at Ivar's a seafood place right on the water. Everyone else picked to have fried fish or shrimp and french fries, but I chose to have grilled cod tacos. It was a hard choice to make since fish and chips are hard to resist but my tacos were amazing!

We then came back to the hotel for a nap before heading out again for dinner and afternoon activities. And that's where I am writing now, from the lovely plush hotel bed. Dad ran to a CVS and got more DayQuil and cough drops. I have recharged my batteries so I can be up and going until about 8pm, and then I will crash again. Needless to say, I am not going to the hotel gym. :( Hopefully by the end of the trip I will be better and up for going to the gym. I have another 5k I'm registered for back in Sacramento on the 4th so I HAVE to be better by then!

Made it to Seattle!

Friday's Caloric Results

• Calories Burned: 2986 (Goal 2500)
• Sister Meredith's Zumba Class: 603
• Calories Consumed: 1463 (Goal 1500)
• Caloric Deficit: 1520 (Goal 1000)
• Steps: 10725 (Goal 10000)
  

Saturday's Caloric Results

• Calories Burned: 3235 (Goal 2500)
• Ran at hotel gym
• Calories Consumed: 2006 (Goal 1500)
• Caloric Deficit: 1229 (Goal 1000)
• Steps: 6778 (Goal 10000)

My sister Breanne (left), and I at Museum of Glass

 

 

Made it to Seattle and got all set up in the hotel with my WiFi. I am super tired. I drove for about 2.5 hours today because my dad is sick :( and am wiped out.
I made great food decisions at the hotel breakfast, even though I really wanted a chocolate chip muffin. I had the egg white of a hard boiled egg, an english muffin, banana, and a small bowl of Cherrios with fat free milk.
We went to the Museum of Glass in Tacoma, WA today. Which was very interesting seeing how people blew the glass into vases and whatnot.
After the museum we went to a place called "Wingers" and I got chicken tacos with the creamy cilantro dressing on the side at a instead of a burger and fries or yummy looking chicken fingers. I don't know where were are headed but I'm going to try to keep the good eating going! I don't think that I'll hit the hotel gym tonight, but maybe tomorrow morning.
 

Greetings From Calackamas Oregon

Today was started by grabbing Los Bagels in Arcata, driving to Coos Bay, Oregon and having a chicken wrap at a nice little deli, and finally arriving in Calackamas, Oregon 7 hours later. It was a long day of doing nothing but sitting in a car, although that can be very tiring.

As soon as we got to the hotel I told my family that I was going to head down to the hotel gym before dinner. My mom decided to come with me which was great. Also I packed an outfit for the gym last so it was on the top of my suitcase. I did this by accident, but it turned out really nicely because I was able to grab them and go. Definitely helped with the motivation to go to the gym. Ran for 30 min on the treadmill down at the hotel gym until I got a cramp in my calf. Then spent about 10 minutes trying to stretch it out and massage it.

We came back up to the room, and got changed for dinner. My little sister decided to pick Olive Garden for dinner. I was a little apprehensive because I LOVE their breadsticks and know that I could eat about 10 of them no problem. While looking over the menu I saw a shrimp and pasta dish that looked amazing, but its sauce was herb garlic butter. Which sounds amazing, but suuuuper unhealthy. I looked at the bottom of the menu and it had little "leafs" that noted low fat entrees and also said that they have a special "Garden Fare Guide" that showed health options and gave nutrition facts for some of the entrees.

Against all of my cravings for the "yummy butter shrimp and pasta" I decided on the Venetian Apricot Chicken and Veggies and Minestrone Soup. I also had three breadsticks. The chicken was one of the lowest caloric options on the menu. It has 380 calories and only 4 grams of fat, so I didn't feel all that bad for eating three breadsticks (thinking that they were about 100 calories each, but come home to find that they were 150 calories each... yikes, an extra 150 calories I wasn't planning on). But all and all the dinner was great. I thought that I would feel cheated out of a good dinner, but the chicken was very tasty and filling! I would highly recommend it.

Onward to Tacoma and Seattle, WA tomorrow!

5k Around Town

Yesterday's Caloric Results

• Calories Burned: 3103 (Goal 2500)
• No Gym
• Calories Consumed: 1615 (Goal 1500)
• Caloric Deficit: 1488 (Goal 1000)
• Steps: 11213 (Goal 10000)

Yesterday it was sunny and 'warm' for Arcata so I decided to go for a little run. I got to 11th and J Streets and thought that I would head up to Arcata High and then run home, only maybe a mile and a half. When I got to 14th and J I decided to run over to HSU to visit my mom for a bit. I got there and used mapmyrun.com to figure out how far I had ran, and a route home that would get me to 3.1 miles. I subtracted the time spent at my mom's work, and ended up running the 5k in 52 min. I am happy with that time because there were some hills to run up and I took a bit deciding where I wanted to run.

I just finished packing for our trip to Seattle, and am looking forward to our trip. I'm going to make an effort to use the hotel gyms while I am there. It will be good to get back on some machines and maybe life some free weights. My family and I have talked about walking to a lot of places while on the trip, so I'm interested to see what my step count will be while I'm gone. I hope that the hotels have internet so I can upload and blog about the trip!

Caloric Results

Monday's Caloric Results

• Calories Burned: 2779 (Goal 2500)
• No Gym Driving Home
• Calories Consumed: 1816 (Goal 1500)
• Caloric Deficit: 918 (Goal 1000)
• Steps: 3687 (Goal 10000)

Tuesday's Caloric Results

• Calories Burned: 2960 (Goal 2500)
• No Gym
• Calories Consumed: 1915 (Goal 1500)
• Caloric Deficit: 1045 (Goal 1000)
• Steps: 8888 (Goal 10000) 

 Wednesday's Caloric Results

• Calories Burned: 2305 (Goal 2500)
• No Gym
• Calories Consumed: 1969 (Goal 1500)
• Caloric Deficit: 336 (Goal 1000)
• Steps: 3715 (Goal 10000)

Humboldt Time

So I haven't been able to get my body bugg to work on my parents computer so body bugg stats will be down for a bit.

So far Humboldt has been great. Drove up on Monday, and ended up having dinner at HumBrews. But instead of having the typical beer, wings, and fries that I would have got before. I chose shrimp tacos and water. They were really good and I enjoyed the meal a lot.

On Tuesday I had Los Bagels in the morning (with low fat cream cheese), then Tomos for lunch with my sisters. And then had a ladies night with some old friends where we have Indian Tacos. Not the healthiest for you, but they were soooo good.

Wednesday I had Los Bagels again. And then spent about 3 hours in the dentist office getting my teeth happy. We had a family friend over for dinner and BBQ'd. I had my first red meat of 2011. That BBQ'd tri-tip was amazing.

Today I am having Los Bagels again! I can't get enough. Probably left over BBQ for lunch, and then something at Costco for dinner tonight. Need to take advantage of my parents membership! :)

It has been hard not having a gym to go to, but I have been making due. I hopped on my parents Wii Fit. It told me I had lost 43 pounds since last time I was on, but I thought I had lost only 38, but if it wants to give me an extra 5 pounds, that's fine with me! I also did some Just Dance 2, and a Biggest Loser workout DVD. I have taken my parents dog on a run Monday and today. He loves it. No one really takes him running (or even walking for that matter). So he loves being out and about. My forearms are sore from him pulling on the leash, but he makes me run faster, which is good.

Anyways, that's the update for this week so far!

Humboldt Bound!

Yesterday's Caloric Results

• Calories Burned: 1385(Goal 2500)
• No Gym
• Calories Consumed: 1458 (Goal 1500)
• Caloric Deficit: 927 (Goal 1000)
• Steps: 3394 (Goal 10000)

 Weighed in this morning and lost 5 pounds this week. I now I am back to the weight that I was before my 5k. It feels good that the work I put in counted this week.

I'm loading the rest of my stuff into my car for the 5.5 hour car ride home. Stopping for breakfast with Paul on my way out, and then hitting the road! Not looking forward to the drive, but at least when I get there I'll be with my family and on VACATION!

Gathering Loose Ends, Last Day in Sac For 2 Weeks

Yesterday's Caloric Results

• Calories Burned: 2957 (Goal 2500)
• No Gym
• Calories Consumed: 2090 (Goal 1500) Damn that doughnut and hot dog from the walk!
• Caloric Deficit: 865 (Goal 1000)
• Steps: 8121 (Goal 10000) Thought I would add step count since my Bugg does it for me anyways. Most steps taken to date in 21852, I was at Disneyland walking around ALL day :)

 Today I am taking the day off from the gym and cleaning the house before I leave for two weeks. I think I finished packing all the clothes I'm going to take. I've straightened up my room. Now need to move on to cleaning the bathroom, living room, dining room and kitchen. I like to leave everything nice and tidy so when I get back there is nothing to do but relax.

I'm gathering up laundry to take home with me, three sets of sheets, towels, and one load of clothes. I hate doing laundry at my apartment. Not only does it cost about $3 a load (which isn't bad, but finding enough quarters to do more than one load is super hard. I hoard quarters like nobodies business), but you also have to stay at home to go move and get the clothes. I can leave the clothes in the drier as long as I want at my parents because I know there aren't other people trying to use the machines.

Anyways, fairly boring day today just doing stuff around the house getting ready to leave. Hopefully housework will burn enough calories to have a deficit for the day. Oh well, we'll see!

Arthritis Walk and Babysitting

Yesterday's Caloric Results

• Calories Burned: 2653 (Goal 2500)
• Body Pump Class: 298
• 30 min Zumba Class: 385
• 30 min Elliptical: 368
• Calories Consumed: 1541 (Goal 1500)
• Caloric Deficit: 1112 (Goal 1000)

Arthritis Walk 2011

Today I woke up at 6am to grab a coffee and bagel before volunteering and walking in the Sacramento Arthritis Walk 2011. My uncle and cousin picked me up at 6:50 to take me to the capital to help set up. My cousin Jen was in charge of setting up the 'Kids Zone' area. We moved some tables around, and set up crafts. I volunteered to work the 'Fishing Game', where kids throw a fishing line with clothespins over a sheet and we put a prize on. It was fun interacting with the kids, but it was really windy downtown and a little overcast so it was a little chilly.


When it was time to walk, I met up with 'Team Macy's Parade' and started off on a one mile lap around the capital. I walked with my uncle Ed and caught up on some things, and got a lesson on all the buildings surrounding the capital. It was also good to find out that one lap around the capital is 1 mile. Ed also told me that 10 city blocks in Sacramento equal a mile as well. Now I know if I run from my place on 27th to 17th I will have done a mile. Easy for keeping track!

Aunt Sharon with 'clown nose' Chase

After the walk, we got back and they had hot dogs waiting for us. How could I not have one! So I did and grabbed a bag of sun chips and had an early lunch. Then there were doughnuts... uh-oh. Had one too. After the walk there was a dog show that the Sacramento SPCA put on, it was very cute. To the left is a picture of Chase while watching the puppy show. He had been attacked by the clowns who gave him a red sticker for his nose and a balloon something-or-other.

I am also babysitting Jen's two adorable little ones tonight, Chase and Jayden. Looking forward to hanging out with them more today. What a lucky cousin getting to see those sweeties two times in one day.

Feeling Like I Wasted A Day

Yesterday's Caloric Results

• Calories Burned: 2452 (Goal 2500)
• 15 min Amp'd Abs Class: 55
• Hot Hula Class: 305
• Calories Consumed: 1764 (Goal 1500)
• Caloric Deficit: 688 (Goal 1000)

 This morning Paul was suppose to come over in the morning on his way to the city. I was expecting him around 10am, but he woke up at 10, and didn't get here until 12:30. Not that I would have gone to the gym in that time, but I just felt like waiting was a waste of time. Then I had to go to Planned Parenthood, and waited for an hour. I grabbed some sushi from a place down the street for lunch (best deal in town I've found, $5 a roll). I have eaten everything out of my fridge/pantry in preparation for being gone for two weeks and I'm getting tired of the stuff I have left.

I have a bit of a head ache and have been debating back and forth about going to the gym tonight. Part of me would REALLY like to skip the gym and just lay on the couch and do nothing. But the other part of me knows in 3 days I will be in Humboldt without my gym and that I should probably go. I am also craving Chevy's Chicken Flautas, so I know that if I don't go to the gym I might not have a calorie deficit for the day. Thinking about a conversation that I had with my friend Dianna, we were talking about will power and just willing yourself to go to the gym. So as I type, I am verbally psyching myself up to go to the gym...

Just got back from a Body Pump class with a Robin Williams look a like, half a Zumba class (didn't like the instructor), and 30 min of elliptical running. I feel great about going to the gym tonight. And instead of Chevy's I stopped at a Subway and got a 6 inch turkey with baked lays, but splurged with extra cheese and a chocolate chip cookie. I'm sure it's still WAY under calories and fat I would have gotten from the flautas.

Not feeling like such a wasted day right now. Maybe just a wasted morning/afternoon. The evening proved to be productive!

I am also excited to work at and walk for The Arthritis Foundation at the capital tomorrow morning. My cousin's daughter's best friend is four year's old and has arthritis and has been in and out of the hospital with her battle. I have joined team "Macy's Parade" to show my support for this little one. Also my cousin Sarah and good friend Monica are also living with arthritis and I am walking for them as well!

And Thursday She Rested... Kind of

Wednesday's Caloric Results

• Calories Burned: 2794 (Goal 2500)
• Pilates Class: 223
• Kickboxing Class: 376
• Hip-Hop Class: 304
• Calories Consumed: 1378 (Goal 1500)
• Caloric Deficit: 1416 (Goal 1000)

The Blog site has been down and erased this post, so here is a brief overview of Thursday.

Decided to take the day off from the gym. My boyfriend Paul and I decided to have a lunch date and go to "Oscars Very Mexican Food". I hadn't been there in over 6 months, and when I did go there it was for a breakfast burrito to help with a hangover. I didn't know what kind of healthy-ish options they would have, so I ate a small breakfast to save up some calories.

Paul has been super supportive of my working out and eating healthy. Although he hasn't really jumped on board the healthy train himself, but that's ok. Recently the doctor told him he has high cholesterol and that has kind of jump started him trying to get healthy. I know his weakness is red meat which he eats multiple times a week. He has recently started to play his Wii more (EA Sports), and has tried to change some eating habits too.

We got to Oscars and he ordered a Chicken burrito that came with pico and guac. And I had a vegetarian burrito with no guac and no sour cream to try to keep it healthy. It was a HUGE burrito. When I put the nutritional information into my Body Bugg, the burrito came out to be 727 calories. Eating out is a hassle for counting calories because you have to guess. And I always like to over guess than under guess.

After that burrito I felt like I just had to go to the gym. I did a 15 minute Amp'd Ab class and a 60 min Hot Hula class. The Hula class is low impact, which is good because my shins are still sore. But you do most of the dancing in a semi-squat which is a great workout for the legs, and your arms are outstretched most of the time which is a good workout for the back and shoulders. It felt good to get to the gym and shake that burrito off!

Hip-Hop? Heck Yea!

Yesterday's Caloric Results

• Calories Burned: 3194 (Goal 2500)
• Step Class: 473
• Turbo Kickboxing Class: 713
• Calories Consumed: 1626 (Goal 1500) I had a sweet tooth last night and had some yogurt covered raisins, they put me over my calories for the day.
• Caloric Deficit: 1568 (Goal 1000)

 I woke up this morning still sore from either the run or lifting or both. Not debilitating soreness, just annoying can't put my all into my workouts soreness. I decided not to do Body Pump class with Cathie to give my muscles some time to recover. Stayed home in the morning had a banana, a fat free english muffin with almond butter for breakfast and ran some errands. At 12pm I headed to the downtown gym to do another Pilates class.I didn't enjoy this class as much as last nights, but it was still a good class.

In sticking with my week of trying new things at the gym. I took a straight Kickboxing class, and a Hip-Hop class. I didn't really like the Kickboxing class and the Hip-Hop class was fun. (The blog site deleted all my funny commentary on the hip hop class... so sorry if you didn't read it before it got deleted)

Biggest Loser Night!

Yesterday's Caloric Results

• Calories Burned: 2638 (Goal 2500)
• Body Pump Class: 263
• Pilates Class: 255
• Calories Consumed: 1490 (Goal 1500)
• Caloric Deficit: 1148 (Goal 1000)

Body Bugg

For those of you who don't know I bought a Body Bugg in January to help me count and track calories burned/consumed. I LOVE my Bugg! I would highly suggest it to anyone who is looking to lose some weight. It keeps you accountable so you cant 'fake' yourself into thinking you did more exercise than you did, or ate better than you did. It is the same device used on The Biggest Loser. It's an arm band that you wear that calculates the calories you burn throughout the day and you snyc it to your computer and input the food you ate and it gives you your calculations.

Today I woke up craving a bagel. I swear if I could eat only one food for the rest of my life, I think bagels would be it! I thought about walking to my favorite bagel store (about 2 miles away), but upon waking up this morning I had a splitting headache. I decided just to drive there hoping that some coffee would make my headache go away. I sat outside in the sunny 70 degree weather here in Sacramento and enjoyed a bagel, coffee and book for a bit.

Also on my agenda today was to head to a Ross store to buy a drawstring backpack to take on runs/walks around downtown so I don't have to keep borrowing my roommates. Ross is the best place ever for these bags! I ended up finding a Reebok black and gray bag for $3.99. What a great deal!

On tonight's gym schedule was a Step class and a Turbo Kickboxing class. Both were at a gym that I don't usually go to because the gyms I frequent didn't have classes I wanted to take tonight. It was a nice change. I don't usually take Step, but I have grown to LOVE Turbo Kickboxing! I especially enjoyed tonight's instructor Mary Ann.

At the moment I am eating my tilapia and brown rice dinner, while settling in to watch my all time favorite show, The Biggest Loser. It's nights like this when I have had a good workout and eaten healthy all day that I don't feel guilty about watching this show. In seasons past I have watched and thought 'I should work out more', or 'I will do sit-ups during the commercial breaks' but never did. This season I have been watching knowing that I am doing all I can to get healthy, and that's a great feeling!

Monday Monday

Mondays are the days that I "weigh in". Today I weighed in and had gained weight this last week. I totally expected it, I didn't go to the gym as much as I should have last week, and didn't stick to my eating plan.

New Gloves

No need to dwell on the gain, so I got up this morning had a banana and oatmeal and headed off to the gym for my favorite weight lifting class (Body Pump at 24 hour fitness), with my favorite instructor Cathie. I've been doing this class since January and this morning finally bought myself some weight lifting gloves!

I was really surprised at how sore some of my muscles were from the 5k. My obliques and shoulders were the unexpected ones, but my hamstrings were definitely feeling it while lifting. I was going to run after, but didn't want to push it since I knew I was going to the gym tonight.

In an attempt to get back on track I decided to try a new class for me, Pilates tonight. I had never done Pilates and was always kind of intimidated by it for some reason.When I got to the class the instructor was very up beat and introduced the class as "Pilates Fusion". I don't know what 'real' Pilates is like, but I would call this a mix between dance, fluid yoga, and stretching. It was really fun. The music was great and I felt like I was getting a good workout.

It feels good to be back on track. I really need to make this week count at the gym and eating healthy because I am about to spend a week in Humboldt back home and then a week in Seattle with the family. Humboldt doesn't have a 24 hour fitness so I will have to be creative with my workouts. I'm looking forward to riding a bike around town, running into town (about 1.3 miles from my parents house), hiking if weather allows. I have also made a vow to use the gym at the hotels that we stay at in Seattle.

Overall a great Monday and a good start to my week!

First 5k

Me after my first 5k

Since I started my journey to health, I had decided that I wanted to run a 5k. My roommate has ran a few, and recently ran her first 10k. I started training with the Couch-to-5k plan. I did really well following it for the first 3 weeks or so, but then vacations got in the way. And then I was just doing classes at the gym, and not following the plan.

I signed up for the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure in Sacramento, which was Saturday May 7th. I was nervous at not finishing the running plan. I had never ran a full mile that I could remember. In high school I opted out of running the "Presidential Mile" that you were required to do in PE. I walked it with a friend while we chatted and there was a cut off time at 20 min.

As I was telling people I was planning on running my first 5k, I kept saying 'I want to finish in 60 min'. Hell, I just wanted to finish at all! On the day of the race, I got up early and was pretty nervous/excited. Waiting on the "runners side" I looked around at all the fit people who were on that side and got immediately intimidated. They announced that all runners who could run a 7 min mile should move up, I thought to myself 'in my dreams!'

The start buzzer sounds and we take off running. Mile one came fairly quickly in my mind, I had made it in 15 min. I was wearing a watch, and knew what time I had to reach mile 2 to keep my 15 min pace. I was thinking to myself 'Hell yes, I can make this in 45 min', and that was amazing to me. I hit mile 2 and am feeling good. I kept on truckin', but when I was expecting to see the mile 3 marker after 15 min I didn't. I got a burst of energy, thinking to myself, I need to finish this in under an hour. See the 3 mile maker, and then the finish. I thought to myself, I can't walk across the finish line! So I take off and see the clock counting our times. I see it's at 46.57. I sprint towards the finish line and cross at 47.48. I was so happy that I finished! And under the time that I had originally set for myself. But mostly that I was the first person in my immediate family to run a 5K, and that I had done it!

The happiness and energy that I felt after it was so amazing that as soon as I got home, I registered for another! June 5th Women's Fitness Festival in Sacramento. I will definitely be looking to beat my time!

From the beginning

To begin I will give you all a very brief life overview from the beginning.

I grew up in a small town, Arcata, CA. Oldest of three daughters I had a very good childhood. I started playing basketball in 3rd grade and loved it. I never really had a weight problem as a child, but was always athletic and muscular. As the years went on I kept playing sports but didn't ever keep a check on what I ate. The pounds started to come on. I remember being in 8th grade and having to do a "health check", or something like that in PE. We had to be weighed, and I remember being nervous about it, but my friends it seemed were not. I remember weighing 175 lbs. And being upset by that number, especially when my friends were all 110-ish.

After that I played freshman basketball but ended up quitting the team because I couldn't hack it physically. I was definitely out of shape and overweight at this point. After that I got my drivers license, and with being able to go off campus for lunch I didn't make the best food choices. And without playing sports the pounds packed on. At high school graduation I can almost bet that I was over 200 lbs, but don't know for sure.

College was more of the same, poor eating habits, and low activity levels. And a new caloric foe, alcohol, that didn't help my health. After 6 years of college I had my BA in History and a teaching credential.

I got a teaching job in Sacramento in 2009. Kept busy with teaching and new friends in Sacramento, but the pounds kept coming. My first time living completely alone and away from everything I had known. And more restaurant choices, and drinking was still a big part of my life being in my early twenties. With being a first year teacher there was no time for the gym. I was so busy trying to keep my head above water, I didn't put my health as a priority (probably not even in the top 10 of my priorities at the time).

I got laid off the summer of 2010. I substituted for the 2010-2011 school year. Same story, depressed over losing my job, and not putting my health first. I was also in a living situation where fast food take out and TV was the norm for most days. Two of the girls I lived with look back at that time and the way we ate and drank and are disgusted with it. All three of us have made a change in our health for the better. In the fall of 2010 I was at my highest weight at almost 300 lbs. And even at that time I felt no urgency for my health. Even with heart disease running on my dad's side of the family, I felt like it didn't matter to me.


During the summer and fall of 2011 I really didn't do much. I had stopped subbing, and had nothing to fill my time with. After a night of drinking in December of 2011 that lead to a black eye (no one's fault but my own drunken self), and about a 3 day hangover, I decided something needed to change. I went home for Christmas and got strep throat (which I'm sure was a cause of the week before's drinking and walking home in the rain). This only solidified that I needed to take control, and it had to be now.

In January my parents bought be a two year membership to 24 hour fitness. I vowed to myself that I would not let their money go to waste. Since January I have been going to the gym religiously at least 2 hours a day 5 days a week. This year I have lost 23 lbs, and have lost 38 from my highest weight.

This blog is mostly therapeutic for me, but if you want to read along and be part of my journey, I welcome you.