Goal Updates and No Toenail :(

This week's goals: No beer, eat better, get to the gym at least 4 days! (and do laundry... but that's different)

No Beer- Fail! On Thursday I went to a friends birthday at BJ's Brewhouse... Brewhouse... You can't go to a brew house and not have a beer, especially when you are celebrating a birthday. We ended up buying a pitcher splitting it. Then on Friday night I went on a first date, and he picked to get drinks at a place in midtown, and so I had a gin and tonic. Oh well.

Eat Better- So far so good. I didn't pick the best thing to eat at BJ's but didn't pick the worst. And last night my date and I split two mini plates of Beef Sliders and Boneless Hot Wings. But other than that I have been eating fairly well.

Gym- I can still make the 4 times to the gym if I go today and everyday 'til Tuesday. After my last 5k one of my toenails was black and blue, and after my 'longest run to date' it was really hurting and became more bruised. And last night walking home from my date in my highest heels, my toenail decided it didn't want to stay on anymore... so now I have no toenail on my left 'pointer' toe :(

Laundry- Mission Accomplished! It is in the dryer as I write. Although this is probably the least important thing on my list of goals for the week, it needed to be done, and now my room is clean with all the clothes off the floor.

Too Much Fun and Beer Strike Again

My roommate, me, and her sister

High School Friends Clark, Megan and I

Weigh in day today, up two pounds. I know exactly why I am up those pounds. Too much fun with too much beer. My roommate and I held a potluck at our place on Saturday. Potlucks aren't really known for having the healthiest foods, and ours was no different. We did have a great time though. After eating we went to a bar in East Sac and closed the place down. I really had a blast. And Sunday was a 'recovery' day which was spent on the couch with three movies. If you have been reading along it has been a struggle with me to find a balance in losing weight and wanting to drink and have a good time with friends. I just need to be better at getting back on track after a night out. As weird as this might sound, I wouldn't trade that night out with friends for the two 'found pounds'. And I shouldn't be blaming it all on the beer either, I haven't gone to the gym since Thursday. I need to get back to that place ASAP! And this week starting today is a no beer week. Which is going to be hard since we still have a dozen beers in the fridge :)

I have also been super stressed this week about finding a job. I had to file a new unemployment claim to see if I qualify for more time on unemployment. I sent off information to EDD yesterday, and am hoping to find out by the end of the week what is going on with that. If I understand correctly, regardless of if I am eligible for a new claim I will still receive the 8 or so weeks I still had on my extension. I just can't wait until I have a steady job. The 50+ applications I send out haven't yielded anything yet, but they are for the state, and things always move slower there I am told.

I did have to stop by my old district to get the information for EDD, and when I did I wanted to make sure that I was still on the Substitute Teaching List for next year. I was, but my TB test had expired. The secretary who helped me was SUPER nice, and gave me a form to take to a clinic to get tested and they would pay for it. SCORE! Since I don't have health insurance I was super excited to hear that they would pay for it!

This week's goals: No beer, eat better, get to the gym at least 4 days! (and do laundry... but that's different)

Finally Some Scale Movement!

Today I weighed in and lost 2 lbs. Finally I have the scale moving in the right direction. I am now at my lowest weight since I started this journey. It really is proof that when I make good eating choices and work out things go the way I want them to!

On Monday my friend Sirena and I did a Boot Camp class. Man it kicked my butt! I haven't been lifting in awhile so the weights definitely made me sore, mostly in my back and shoulders. And my abs are beyond sore! I don't know how the trainer Mark gets my abs so good, but I should do his routine at home on other days for sure!

Yesterday I ran 3 miles at the gym. I had planned on trying to do 4.5 to keep up with my pace guide for training for the half marathon but I just couldn't do it, I was sore from my run on Monday and super sore from Boot Camp. My roommate and I took a walk last night that totaled 2.4 miles, but we did walk to get frozen yogurt... but it was non fat...I think it is an even exchange! haha

I'm taking today off, although I am babysitting my cousin's little ones again so they will keep me hopping. I also have a friend coming into town, and I think we're going out to dinner so I NEED to make a good choice at dinner, because I think some cocktails will be involved.

My roommate and I are also hosting a potluck this weekend so tempting foods will be all around. I will try to make some good choices then as well!

Longest Run Yet, Back in the Game

This morning I got up and decided it was time to start running again. I have noticed that if I am not working towards a next race, I won't run. And going to the gym for classes or even the elliptical is no replacement for running outside. I went to McKinley Park about .5 miles from my apartment. I ran 3 loops around the park (each a mile), and then back to my apartment. Mapmyrun.com figured that the run was 4.3 miles long. It took me and hour and six minutes to run it.

I was planning on doing the Urban Cow Half Marathon on October 2nd, but had gotten off track from training for that. A half marathon is 13.1 miles. I definitely need to get to running on a regular basis to work up to getting through 13.1 miles. I'm thinking that if I add a half mile every week or something I can build up to making it through that long of a run. If I do that I will be running 9.5 miles the week before the half marathon.... Yikes! This is a big undertaking for someone in January never thought of running anywhere.

Out of Town Guests and More Bad Decisions

This week/weekend I had more out of town guests and went out to eat more than I usually do. It is so hard for me to make good decisions when eating out. Menus have such tempting things that I know I can't cook and sound so yummy. I really need to step up the will power and make better decisions.

I also have been slacking on the gym! AH! I need to refocus and get my booty in gear. I'm not sure if you all watch Extreme Makeover Body Edition, but this last episode was focused on a man with an extreme eating addiction and his defeat in not losing the weight that the trainer/show wanted him to. The show ended with him checking himself into rehab-ish program to work on his eating addiction. It was nice to see that the show illustrated someone who was struggling with weight loss and not just showing people who really excel. It was a reminder that weightloss and eating healthy is difficult and some times progress is slow or even moves backwards at times.

I went to Target tonight to try to look for some work clothes (anticipating that I might have an interview sometime soon, wishful thinking). I found a pair of grey slacks in my new size, but when I tried them on they were really tight. :( They technically fit, but not in the way I wanted them to. It was a great motivator for me to get to the gym tomorrow FOR SURE! I did make some good choices tonight. I was craving pizza, and decided to get a lean pocket pizza that fulfilled my craving and only cost me 280 calories. I also bought some faux tanning lotion, whitening tooth paste, and a new nail polish color to do a little in home spa night tonight to try to pep myself up into taking a little more care of my appearance and I'm hoping that will translate into a desire to double up on workouts this coming week!

It Has Been a While

Since last time I wrote nothing much has happened. Last weekend family came into town which meant a lot of eating out and BBQing. I didn't make the best choices while eating out, and didn't make it to the gym over the weekend either. But it was definitely worth it to see the family as much as I did. My family means the world to me.

This week has been dedicated to another part of my life that needs some 'pumping up', I have been working hard on the job front. I spent all of Monday and Tuesday reworking my resume and cover letter and looking for work. It's really amazing how much time that really takes. I spent all of yesterday assembling a 7 page application/resume for state jobs. I sent out 27 total. I still have another 10 to send today. I really am hoping something pans out from all of this. And at the end of the day my brain has been mush and I haven't been going to the gym. I think that if I tried to get on the elliptical I would literally fall off my brain wouldn't have enough power to say 'stay on, don't fall off'.

This morning I weighed in, and again no gain, but also no loss. But judging from what I've been eating and the lack of going to the gym, I'm just glad there was no gain. I really need to get my booty back to the gym!

Breaking Even

Yesterday I finally remembered to weigh in on my new weigh in day, Wednesday. I was happily surprised that after a weekend with the family in the bay area and all the beer and food I had over The 4th of July that my weight had stayed the same. I am definitely happy to have broke even after much indulgence.

I had a very productive morning yesterday with a walk around midtown, stopping at the bank, getting gas, going to the post office, and shopping at Trader Joe's. I broke down and bough the evilly delicious Dark Chocolate Covered Pretzel Thins from Trader Joe's. After having two servings of the yummy little treats (only 14 pieces, but 390 calories) I knew that I had to go to the gym and burn off those calories so I could break even with the calories I ate. I went to the gym and did 30 minutes on the elliptical, and burned off those 14 temptations.

This morning I started to go through my clothes, which seems to be a thing I am doing on a regular basis lately. First I got rid of all my winter clothes that are too big, and now I'm weeding out my summer clothes for ones that don't fit. I tried on a skirt that I had bought and really liked, but never felt really comfortable in when I was heavier. I always wanted to wear it but never really did because I felt confident in it. But when I tried it on today it was falling off my hips. Which is good, but I was also was sad that I never really got to wear it. I guess I will have to find it a new home. While in the middle of trying on clothes there was a knock at the door. I went downstairs to find a package that I had been waiting for. Two new pairs of shorts, two sizes smaller than the skirt I put in the "give away" pile. Old clothes out, new clothes in.... Breaking Even

4th of July Weekend, and Beer as my Enemy

Hope everyone had a safe and fun Fourth of July weekend. I know I did. Friday went to a friend's BBQ and had a great time with great food. I definitely ate well at the BBQ, but drank tons of beer. It's hard to stay cool when it's 100 degrees outside, and beer is definitely a nice way to keep cool. But adds up the calories very quickly! I didn't hit the gym at all this weekend, which makes the drinking/eating even worse.

For the 4th my cousin invited me to dinner at his place. Again, drank more beer than I should have, but ate within my means. I offered to bring beer without knowing how many people would be at his place, so I bought a 18 pack of Bud Light, and when I showed up it was just me, my cousin and his girlfriend. Needless to say, I have a lot of extra beer. I left him with 6, and I think I drank 4 there, so that means I have 8 in my fridge staring at me tempting me with their icy cool bubbliness! This could be bad. It will definitely be a struggle not to grab one with dinner or lunch. But I have will power and I will use it! But we ended up going to watch fireworks in the city of Carmichael. It was definitely a good evening.

Today I babysat for another cousin and definitely feel like I got my workout chasing after a 4 year old and lifting a 25 pound one year old for 5 hours. How my cousin has any energy to go on a run on any given day baffles me! I ate well today though. Egg white scramble for breakfast, a light lunch, and fish and artichokes for dinner. I need to keep eating well this week because this weekend holds more festivities. I have a birthday dinner to go to at Dave and Busters on Friday, but already looked at the menu and they do have a 600 calories and under portion. It will just be will power to pick something off there while I see burgers and pasta, and fries tempting me. I also have a ladies night planned for Saturday night. I think we are doing a pot luck type thing so I can make good choices there but then we might go out on the town...which means beer... My new nemesis.

I'm not sure if it's just a summer thing, but I feel like I have a lot of weekends booked with friends and parties and whatnot. And at almost all beer or liquor temptations are there. And with it being so stinking hot in Sacramento this summer, it is hard to look at a frosty pint glass and golden liquid goodness and say "No thanks..." Everything in moderation, right? And if not... spend an extra hour at the gym!