Tough cookie

My Private Logic

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On-line dating

Yup....I did it.  I signed up for on-line dating.  So in addition to posting about training for my first half, I have decided to share some stories about this as well.  I signed up last week and have my first date tonight.  The original first date (with another guy) was supposed to be on Friday.  That date was canceled, which I was totally fine with.  It can never be a good sign when a 38 year old "man" says he is nervous to talk on the phone----what!?  How would he then be able to actually follow through with a face to face date.  

Tonight's date shows some potential (especially in reflection of the horrible dates that I have been on as of late).  He picked a trendy wine bar in the city.  Considering the fact that the last guy I dated wanted to take me to a playground, this is most certainly a step up.

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Just finished a shorter run but with a better pace- 1 1/5 miles; pace 11:15

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One of the things that I am really enjoying about running is the ability to do it almost anywhere.  Saturday morning was my first long run and I did it in my cousin's neighborhood.  All of the trees were in the midst of changing colors;  it was beautiful.  On Monday, I was in DC and decided to run The National Mall.  Again, talk about beautiful.  I loved that I was take advantage of the new scenery and work towards my goal.  My pace is getting better too!

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The picture on the left is from my sister's wedding in July of 2011.  The one on the right is from a few weeks ago when I was in Vegas celebrating one of my best friend's 30th birthday.  (Please know I am aware that I still have the same pose...almost every girl poses this way.)

When I read the quote, it really hit home.  I remember the exact moment that I decided to stop being so unhappy with myself.  I was at my parent's house hanging out (drinking wine and eating) with another best friend.  It was around Valentine's day and I remember thinking-- I don't want to be unhappy and unhealthy anymore.  At that moment, I sent a text to a personal trainer who I had worked out with once before asking when I could come for another session (the first session had been two months prior).  We scheduled it for that Monday.  I didn't tell anyone that I was going, just incase I didn't stick with it.  That first session was hard.  I remember feeling like I was going to pass out when I finished but I scheduled my next session for that Thursday.  That is how I got started.  Every Monday and Thursday night at 6:30 I was working out with my trainer.  I was so excited to have our first weigh-in because since I was working out so hard, I had to have lost weight, right! - Nope.  My weight didn't change however my body composition had.  I had gain 5lbs of muscle and decreased my body fat.  Being that I had never looked at things this way, I was discouraged.  I wanted my weight to change.  At this point, it would have been easy to walk away and say it wasn't working- the old me would have.  But I was determined to stick with it, to make this change. 

Looking back I am amazed with my progress.  I have lost 85lbs!!!  I can do things that I never knew about let alone thought about doing.  I can run- me the girl who always faked being sick in gym class or walked round the track because I thought it was better to just not try than look like I failed.  I can deadlift 230lbs- at first I didn't know what this was and to begin I just started with lifting the bar. 

I hope that this more people make this change.  It is empowering both mentally and physically. 

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Finding my stride

It has been quite some time since I posted but for no reason in particular. I have still been working out (with the exception of the my post Vegas binge). Regardless, I have still been working towards goals and setting new ones. My newest goal is to run a half marathon by the time I turn 30 in April. I finished my first 5k in September and want to push myself further. So, I signed up for one in March! I have a friend who runs marathons and is going to run it with me. I am really excited because I haven’t seen her in a few years and now I am going to get to run with her in Sacramento! That’s where she lives and where the race is.

Moving forward, I am going to post on this blog about my challenges and triumphs with running. I started on Monday and today was my second run. So far both runs were 3 miles, which I feel comfortable with. Albeit I have to power walk at some points. Saturdays are going to be my day for my long runs. As I type this, I can’t believe that I am typing this. This is because I have never been one to focus on fitness until a little over a year and a half ago….but shedding 85lbs can really make a difference.

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I haven't been able to fit into these jeans in about 11 years.  Crazy, I know. 

Workout update: I finished the second week of the couch to 5k program and I am feeling great about it.  I am also on day 5 of the 30 day challenge and I am totally loving it!  All of the exercises can be done at home which makes sticking to it much easier.  Also, I found that some of the reps were a little too low so I increased them... but not for the number of squats...ohhh dear not for the number of squats.   

Tonight's agenda: 4 mile run, HIITS (on the bike for 23 miles), and day 5 of the 30 day challenge...I might add some side planks and wall sits we will see

Day 5: 52 sit-ups, 40 Crunches, 85s Plank, 70 Squats, 15 Leg Raises, 40 Dips x2, 40 Bicep Curls, 26 Push-ups, 25 Lunges

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30 Day Challenge

I think that the motivation from this blog is already working (even though I am pretty sure I only have one reader).  On Tuesday night, I was tempted to skip the gym but at 10:00pm I forced myself to go run 2.5 miles and do some circuits of abs training.  The main reason I went was because I wrote about it on this blog.  Yesterday, I went to boot camp which again was in the sweltering heat (please note, Dan Campos doesn’t have air conditioning). 

In other semi related news, I have been seeing/reading about these 30-day challenges for abs, arms, squats, etc. After researching what is involved in it and where I am at physically I have decided that I am ready to take on this sort of challenge.  I looked at a few (via Pinterest and some Google searches) and have decided to modify and combine the ones that I liked.  Since I have been working out with my trainer for over a year, I thought that some of the reps to begin with were rather low.  Since I really want to challenge myself, I increased them. 

So, starting today I will be doing a combination of the exercises listed below on daily basis.  I have taken 'before' pictures and will take pictures when this challenge is over to do a comparison. 

  Day 1  40 sit-ups 30 Crunches  70s Plank 50 Squats  5 Leg Raises    25 Dips  25 Bicep Curls  20 Push-ups  20 Lunges  

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If you still look cute after your workout, you're doing it wrong....#nailedit #hottmess

Let me just say it takes some serious dedication to workout in 96 degree weather.    Cooper clearly isn't as dedicated.  He took 5 breaks on our walk last night. 

Tonight: I am going to the gym to run three miles and then strength training with a focus on my Abs.

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So...this is my first post and my first blog ever.  I thought all weekend about what I am going to utilize this blog for.  Aside from life updates, I am also going to share some goals.  Recently (within the past year and a half) I have lost 80lbs.  I am very proud of myself for this accomplishment.  To reach this goal, I totally changed my lifestyle.  I was never one to exercise on a regular basis or really pay attention to what I was eating.  Granted I would go through phases where I was ‘really going to focus’ and ‘really be determined’ however that would usually only last for about a month or two.  And just like how all of the other weight lose stories go, I would be right back to where I started from or worse.  This time around I decided that I wasn’t going to go with a fade diet; I wasn’t going to try to use a weight lose gimmick, I was just going to do it the right way.  To date, I have lost 80lbs, and over 55 inches from my stomach/waist, arms, thighs, waist, calves and bust (which is something I would have been ok with keeping).   It took a lot of hard work to get to this point.  But I am not finished yet; I still want to lose another 25-35lbs. Over the past year I have been working out with a personal trainer and eating healthy.  Every now and again, I indulge but it is very seldom…well until these past two weeks.  Since the weekend of July4th have been off track.  So this is my assurance that I will keep going.  I am posting my goal here to hold me accountable.   I will update with what workouts I am doing, what is working, my results, healthy recipes and life sagas. 

Tonight: Boot camp with my trainer and talking Cooper (my puppy) for a three mile jog. 

#PhaseTwo