I think I can, I think I can?

It's on record: 10k training begins in January.

OH. DEAR. GOD. I am terrified

I have been reading articles about "taking my run to the next level" and it scares the crap out of me. You'll have to start running 5 days a week, they say. You'll need to average 15-20 miles a week. Get used to running 60 minutes at a time. Get used to  declining social invitations.  This isn't me. The thought of running for an hour makes me want to hurl. I'm weak! I'll fold too easily! Just last night, I got a last minute invitation to play bar trivia (if you know me, you know I take this very seriously), when I had already decided that I NEEDED to go to the gym. Frankly, I allowed myself to eat too many delicious leftovers from the previous day's office potluck,  not mention what I consumed at the actual potluck, and an after work run was my get out of jail free card...

Despite knowing better, I totally rationalized not going to the gym. I'll have light beer. Or no beer. I'll order something relatively healthy. I'll wake up early the next day and work out ('cause that always happens). Being social is good! Trivia works out the brain, which is just as important as the body! But in the back of my head, I just kept thinking:  I haven't even begun my training yet and I am already failing.

In the end, I did go to trivia, with no guilt. I used the gym at work (duh! that was an obvious choice), changed (sans shower, sorry fellow trivia go-ers!), and got the bar on time. I was able to have my chicken gorgonzola salad and eat it, too.

Maybe I shouldn't be as terrified as I am. Maybe I can figure out this run/life/work balance, after all. I guess the real question is: am I up for the challenge? I think so.

Not Bad for a Fat Girl

2014 has been quite a year. A new home, a new job, a new healthier lifestyle. I never thought I'd be the kind of person to run voluntarily, without being chased. I absolutely never imagined I'd maybe enjoy it. (Whether or not I really enjoy the running, or just how I feel afterwards, or the competition of it, or just the shopping for running clothes is up for debate!)

Three 5ks this year and I'm finally getting the hang if it. The first time, I just wanted to cross the finish line at all. This time around, I wanted to run the whole 3.1 without walking, all in 36 minutes. Did I do it? Well, I finished a minute and 25 seconds after I wanted to, but I  DID run without walk breaks. Not too bad for a fat girl!

Thank you, wine.

I somehow managed not to eat my weight in cranberry sauce and stuffing this Thanksgiving. I can't say that my plate was always perfect and full of veggies, but considering my 4 day weekend consisted of two Thanksgivings, two  birthday celebrations, and one mini college reunion, I faired pretty well! I managed to make it to the gym two of those days and I did, in fact, eat veggies. Let's just forget about the part where I drank a whole bottle of wine.

That bottle of wine does lead to reflect on the things for which I have been thankful for this year:
1. Wine. white, red, rose, I don't discriminate. Though I enjoy you (mostly) in moderation these days, I still love you.
2. My partner and the home we have created together (I should maybe mention here that these are not ranked in order of importance...)
3. My nutty friends and my even nuttier family. You're all crazy. And sometimes you drive me crazy, and into the arms of wine. But I can't not love you.
4. My (new, official, as in I'm kinda the boss) job and a staff that continues to support me and work their tails off.
5. My able body that I seem to be able to push a little further and further each day. Thanks for not letting me down, body! Honestly, we still got our issues, but the truth is, you let me do things like run 3 miles and for that I am forever grateful.

I choose my choice!

There's that episode of Sex and the City when Charlotte decides to quit her job after getting back with Trey. She calls Miranda looking for support (actually, validation) of her decision and the scene ends with Charlotte yelling into the receiver "I choose my choice! I choose my choice!" 

So, all day, everyday we're faced with them-choices. Today I made some bad ones (I slammed a few drawers in my office and ate that lonely Klondike bar that's been sitting in the office freezer since a party last month) and some good (30 minutes on the treadmill and I ate all my veggies at dinner). Good or bad, they were mine. It's easy to place blame on others or seek validation. I did it today even when I texted my boyfriend looking for him to validate my decision to have a beer when I got home (oh, but the WW points!). But I'm a big girl, I can make these decisions on my own. No one forced me to eat that ice cream or the peanut M&M's sitting in the office on November 1st. Conversely, no one held me up at gunpoint as I ran at the gym (that would be some workout, though...or movie....Speed 3: Planet Fitness).

I may regret some of the things I've done (I do not regret this beer, however) or how have I acted, or what I have chosen not to do. But I gotta own it. And I may not always agree with the choices the people around me have made, but they need to live with their decisions. Even when they impact (that, my friends, is how to avoid the affect/effect conundrum) me, those choices are for them to choose.

I choose my choice!

Take a Hike!

I’m back in the States and trying to get back into my normal routine. Though I was only able to log 2 actual workouts during my week away, I did, at least, walk a couple of miles each day of the latter half of my trip. This doesn’t exactly make up for the amount of bread, cheese, and sweets I allowed myself to eat, but it was better than nothing, I suppose.

Thankfully, some girlfriends and I had a healthy outing planned for the weekend of my return. Generally, our get -togethers involve a good amount of food and booze. Now, I see nothing wrong with that from time to time, but the fall back plan for spending time together is always dinner and drinks. It’s easy to fall into that pattern and amazing how much our social lives revolve around eating and drinking. That’s why I was thrilled that a friend (who has her own blog worth a read) suggested we go for an afternoon hike as a departure from our normal routine. What a concept! Get some exercise, catch up with one another, get some vitamin D, and maybe see a ghost (the state park in which we hiked is allegedly haunted!).

We saw no ghosts, sadly, or even wildlife (other than a large dog). We heard what was possibly a chainsaw and did have a short, potentially sketchy walk on the side of the road (for the record, I should never be in charge of the trail map). Despite this, we still had a great time. The weather was perfect, the company was great, and the 5 miles we walked felt like a real accomplishment, without feeling like work. We did round out the day with a nice lunch, but we all chose something reasonably healhy. All and all, it was a great Girls’ Day Out! Now where's the booze??

The Road to Istanbul Is Paved With Good Intentions

Merhaba! I am currently traveling for business--in Turkey, as you may have guessed. When it comes to being healthy, travel has been, and will always be, my Achilles heel. It doesn't seem to matter how long or short the journey, when I am on a plane, in an airport, on a train, even on a long car ride, I want to eat everything in sight! I'm usually traveling alone, and therefore, no one is holding me accountable. When you're alone, it's easy to stop for a milkshake or buy an armful of candy or eat three donuts in  the privacy of your hotel room. And, as I have mentioned before, the slightest change to my routine, and my good habits are out the door. It's fair to say this trip to Turkey is a change to my routine.
Knowing that I would be tempted to partake in delicious treats (hello, baklava) and that I would be eating out all week,  I made sure my gym clothes and running shoes made it into the luggage. I had all sorts of intention of using them this morning before meeting some colleagues for a trip to the ancient ruins of Pergamon (nope, not my normal routine). When my alarm went off, I realized it was midnight at home and I just couldn't get out of bed. I snoozed for an embarrassing long time and eventually did get up and pull on my gym pants...and went to breakfast. I only had time to either workout or eat breakfast, and though I regret not working out, I knew that I'd be a cranky pants if I didn't have food in my system. I tried to make some healthy choices, focusing on fruits and grilled veggies, with a little bread and cheese (for those of you who have traveled overseas, you know that breakfast generally leans more towards the savory than sweet).
When we got back from Pergamon, I was exhausted and hungry. But back in my room, I put my gym clothes on--for reals this time-- and  had a decent run in the hotel's gym. I started to think about two years ago, when I was staying in the same hotel and using the same gym. Then, I was just starting to run, and still working my way through intervals. Today I ran the whole way through and didn't even consider stopping. I've come a long way in two years, and despite not every choice being a great one (I may or may not currently be consuming a club sandwich), I like to think I make the better ones more often than not (I'm having a piece of fruit for dessert). Travel is always going to be difficult for me, especially in a foreign country, but this time around, I am holding myself accountable.







   

Summer of Change

It's easy to focus on the things I haven't done, or haven't done well. Since my little tumble two weeks ago, I've only been for 3 rather short runs,and my eating habits have really suffered as we have approached phase 2 of the big move. Rather than beat myself up about it (sometimes, you just need cookie dough Oreos) I've tried to focus on all the good stuff I've accomplished the summer of  2014- the Summer of Change!

1. Hiked a mountain - with 15 lbs strapped to my back, no less
2. Got a promotion at work
3. Completed 2 5ks, lived to tell the tale
4. Lost 14 lbs since June, despite vacations/business travel and we're-moving-and-don't-have-food-or-plates-so-let's-have-takeout dinners
5. Become a homeowner!

It's been a summer out of the ordinary for me, but regardless of how big or small the accomplishment, we all should take the time to acknowledge our own awesomeness.  It always seems easier to focus on the negative, the stuff you didn't do, but I'm hoping you'll look back on the summer and remember all the things you did right!