Pain = Beauty

Oh boy do I hurt today!

I was a trooper and went to the RVAC yesterday after work. Completed week 3 day 1 (again) of C25K without stopping or cheating! It didn't hurt like it did the last time, so hopefully I'll be able to keep it up and work my way up to week 4.

I then proceeded to take the Sculpt & Strength class. It's a very motivating and pushing type class, but boy do you take a whooping when you're done! I don't remember the last time I did squats, and she focused on them BIG time today.

 

 

Ok we didn't use a crazy weight like that, but even without, OUCH!!

 

I can even feel my tummy took a small beating since we did a lot of work in that area too. I'm hoping to keep up with this class because the instructor is great. When she said she was about to turn 50, I couldn't believe it. I was  thinking mid 30's. She looked awesome. So if she does this and looks like that...what would I look like??? Motivation right there.

 

I'm thinking of posting a before picture on here to keep track of my progress. I'm a little nervous about showing my body on here, but I think it would really help me to visually see the difference from the angle of a camera. They don't lie! I also want to dig out an old picture of me from high school to keep me motivated. I probably wont get down to that weight (around 150), but I can sure strive to look like I did!

 

Speaking of pictures, my work is renewing the staff picture soon! EEEEK! I know I already look better than I did last year, but I'd still like to drop 10 lbs. before it. And get my roots done. "Roots are for trees."- Mama Laughlin

 

Tonight I have an outdoor band concert in Cottage Grove in the 90+ degree weather we're supposed to have! Not a happy camper... But maybe since it's for a senior center, they'll move it indoors to keep them comfortable. I'd be in heaven if that happened :)

 

Other than hurting from sore muscles, I feel good today. I ate healthy yesterday, I worked out, plus got all my water in! Makes a big difference folks. I knew this, and why I didn't do it all the time is beyond me. A juicy cheeseburger is always was always more tasty :)

 



Enough is Enough

Well, it's been a while since I've blogged. I honestly just wasn't in the mood last week and I didn't really have much to talk about. But things are about the change!

This weekend was just wonderful. Friday night, B and I met up with our friends Andy and Amanda for Acapulco. Mexican is soooo good! We got to sit out on the patio and enjoy the sunshine. Then later that night we enjoyed a good relaxing bonfire in the backyard. We somehow got on the subject of music that we listed to back in high school (about 10 years ago), and it was so fun! We're all country music fans, except for Amanda, who is more of a pop/dance/rock type person. But it's so funny how way back when we all used to listen to rap and rock like Missy Elliot, Lil Kim, Sum 41, Alien Ant Farm...to name a few that came up that night :)

Then Saturday after work, I headed up north to visit my Mom and Grandma. It was SSSSSSSSSSOOOOOOOOOOO nice to actually go up there and not have to do a damn thing. We just got to sit around and talk. Enjoying ourselves. And even the talk was nice. It wasn't the typical "Steph are you looking for a better job?" "Steph when are you getting a house?" "Steven this, Tom that." We just had nice casual conversation and enjoyed each other's company.

Mom cooked the BEST lobster ravioli from Costco on Saturday night and we had an "Olive Garden" night at home. Bread and dipping oil, Caesar salad with real Parmesan cheese flakes, asparagus, and the wonderful raviolis with butter sauce. Oh my god....it was awesome.

Then Sunday for Mother's Day, my sister and I took Mom out for lunch at Poncho and Lefty's in Brainerd. The food was really good there too and, like always, order too much to eat and too big of a drink :)

 My pretty Mama :)

 

 Jumbo margarita...yum!

Take another one...oooh...another one... (I'm used to this from Jen...picky picture person) lol

 

 

We then ran to Costco (can you tell we like that store?) and got some things and tried lots of yummy samples of food :)

 

Grandma is all moved into her new house...well...for the most part. A lot of stuff is still at my Mom's, but Grandma is now able to live in her house and function. It looks nice for all of her stuff. It just seems to fit her perfectly. I'm glad she is happy living in a different town because we thought that would be a big adjustment for her.

 

She is asking B to do a restoration project for her. She has this old bench that needs new planks to be able to even sit on it without falling through. It will be nice to have something outside on her little slab of a patio to enjoy the sunshine and a few potted plants.

 

Before pic. It's not even safe to sit on this baby!

 

Then the fun all came to an end when I had to come home. I missed B, even though it was only for a day and a half, but it was weird not having him here this weekend. Everything just seems to be nicer when you're closer to your family. Plus up north is so much more calm and relax. It just feels good to get away from the norm.

 

What I realized over the weekend, however, is that I really need to start taking this weight loss situation seriously. It seemed that fitness and health came up quite often over the weekend, and I feel that I have been cheating myself. I mean come on, let's face it. I joined the gym in November and I haven't lost much more than 4 lbs, but that goes up and down quite often. I splurge and eat out all the time, snack in the candy jar at work, eat chips in bed when I'm bored. I'm the reason that I'm not losing the weight.

 

Why do I do this to myself? I'm thinking it's that I'm scared to push myself. I'm scared to commit to a healthy lifestyle. The stupid little thoughts in my head like "I'll never get to eat a piece of fried chicken or cherry cheesecake again" plays in my head, so I have it, then ruin what I've done for the day. I have to get into the mentality that I used to have that food is basically just fuel. When I did this during WW in high school, I did so well. Yes, I didn't really allow myself to eat sweets because I thought they would ruin everything, but I was happier then. I was thinner then. I was the true Steph then. And that's why I say enough is enough.

 

I'm going to commit myself to eat a healthier lifestyle. Record everything that I eat in MFP. No shortcuts or cheats.

 

I'm going to commit myself to actually exerting myself during workout sessions at they gym. No more 20-30 minute elliptical runs and be done. Damn it, I need to sweat. I need to be there for at least 1 1/2 hours to actually accomplish something.

 

I need to commit to myself that I can do this so I look better in pictures for everything that is going on this summer. Weddings, vacations, Wefest, our 5 year anniversary. Wow... to think back 5 years and what I looked like to what I look like now...barf...

 

I need to commit myself to my 10 before 30 goals and the goals that B has set for me. His number one goal for me was to stick to the things that I start. This is a perfect example of the things that I struggle with and give up. But not this time. I can beat this.

 

Enough is enough Steph. I'm better than this. I can do this.



Grow a Pair

I AM SO SICK AND TIRED OF PEOPLE COMPLAINING OF THE WEATHER!!!!

There is simply nothing we can do about it, so deal with it. It's really not that cold out. At 35 degrees, we were excited a month ago to reach those temperatures. Now we're freezing? WTH...

People bundled up in sweaters and still wearing their down jackets. Having to drive the 4-wheel drive vehicle because of the 1/4" of snow we got. Really people? Grow a pair...

Yeah it's not normal to have snow and cool temperatures at the beginning of May, but you know what? Who cares! Maybe the summer wont be so hot? Maybe summer will last longer? We wont know until it actually comes around.

But then people will be complaining it's too damn hot out. Well, you know what? You have a choice. Live in MN and deal with the weather, or get out!

(Our predicted Walleye opener on May 11th)

 

 

I have a band concert on Sunday (Cinco de Mayo!). We may be taking shots of tequila in our saxophone section after our Latin song :). I'm hoping B can make it because this is the only thing that I'm in that he isn't. It would be nice for support!

 

Have a great weekend all!

Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow!

But not in MAY!!!!

For Pete's sake...enough is enough! Minnesota always has crazy weather, but snow in May? It's starting to get old. I don't complain too much about it because there is nothing we can do but live day by day and see what Mother Nature brings us next.

So B and I finally discussed our 10 Before 30 goals for ourselves and each other. I was actually quite surprised by what he had to say! He didn't want me to post them on my blog for privacy reasons, which is fine by me. To say the least, we have a lot in common on what we want to achieve in just 3 1/2 years. Weight loss, career satisfaction, being debt free... I think we've got a good thing going on here :)

He was a little surprised by my goals that I had written for him. "But I'm asthmatic!" "I HATE vegetables." I figured I'd get those responses out of him, but with a little time and some clever thinking, I believe we can do this together. Now his goals for me? Different story...they're more like rules. Can I stick with them? I hope so! One I will share is that he wants me to stick with my goals and actually achieve them, not get halfway there and quit. I'm kind of known for that, so I understand where he's coming from. That's kind of the reason that I decided to do this for each other. Keep each other accountable for their actions and keep each other motivated. Since we know what we want to achieve, it will help build our relationship too to keep each other going and help each other along the way.

I'm excited!