Running and getting healthy update! June 23, 2010

 

Don’t you love a good running picture? For all the races I have run in my life I have yet to figure out how to look 1/2 way decent in one of these course photos. Oh well, the good news is I made it!

I ran a 10 K on Saturday morning in our new neighborhood. I am proud to report I made it and my time wasn’t the greatest, but it also wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be. Here is the big news, I enjoyed it so much I signed up for another one on July 3rd. Watch out 10K’s here I come. My goal in that one is to improve my time, that half marathon is only two months away.

In other healthy living news, it is so nice to be out of my parents house. I get to prepare our own meals and it is so much easier to watch what goes in my mouth. I already feel healthier.

Goals for the next week:

1. Stop weighing myself daily, this is not helping the cause.

2. Eliminate the beer. I love a good beer, but it is not helping the calorie counts. I am going to try to replace any drinks with red wine over the next week.

3. Run three times for at least three miles.

Did I tell you how crazy I am? I moved into our house last week and by day two I had ripped out part of our landscaping to put in a garden. As soon as I find my camera I will show you the project.

10K . . . crap June 18, 2010

So I signed myself up for a series of races this summer to get me ready for a half marathon and to get me off the couch. Well the first one is here and I am not ready.  I ran 4 miles last weekend and that is the farthest I have run so far this year.

I am hoping I can pull this one off! Recap this weekend.

Moving Day! June 17, 2010

The new house is a disaster but yesterday was moving day. I was able to sleep in my own bed for the first time in six months last night. It was heaven!

More on the move and pictures of the new place coming soon!

Girlfriends June 10, 2010

I have a pretty good life. I have a great husband! He is funny, cute and loves making me happy. I have a great family that we were able to move closer to this year. Oh and have I mentioned have the cutest dog ever! See, here is the evidence:

I don’t want this to turn into a whiny post, but what I don’t have is my girlfriends. I’ve lived in Des Moines for the past 12 years. This includes college and the first number of my professional years. I have a fantastic group of girlfriends that still live there and I miss them tons. I have been able to go visit lots, but it’s not the same.

Work is a place that I have typically made a lot of friends when I have been in new situations.  I don’t have that same opportunity just based on the demographics of my department. I am in a life position where I am looking forward to starting a family and going through the ups and downs of being a newlywed. Most of my coworkers are past the kid phase and are on to the empty nest stage of life.

I am really looking forward to moving into our new neighborhood and hopefully making some new girlfriends. I am dying for some girl talk while shopping or seeing the latest chick flick.

Travel June 9, 2010

I travel for work; R also travels for work. This is a new wrinkle in our relationship that was added with R’s new job in Minnesota.

I’ve watched many marriages crumble due to the added pressure of traveling; we went into this with eyes wide open and decided to make a plan to deal with the added stress of travel.

What are we doing?

We make time to talk when we are on the road. Even if it is for five minutes knowing the other person makes you a priority is very important to us.

We enjoy our time together by planning events we both like in addition to the to-do items that have to get done. We like to schedule a movie or a night  or try a new restaurant rather than focusing on all the chores that need to get done at home.

On that same note, we outsource when it makes sense. Do we enjoy working around the house . . . absolutely. However, sometimes we hire things out we could do because spending the time we do have together working can get stressful.

We enjoy the benefits of traveling. Frequent flier miles and hotel points allow us to extend and enjoy travel together when we are in a fun location.

Things are not perfect but we hope by putting a plan in place we can make it through these parts of our career as a strong couple and see some more of the country while we are at it.

Do you travel or do you deal with this in your relationship?

Baby Fever June 5, 2010

These cute little things have been on my mind a lot lately.

The way they smell . . .

the rolls they get on their legs . . .

the cute smiles and noises they make . . .

I see babies on the street or friends kids and I get really excited for the prospect of having babies one day. R is on board with the idea as well. Timing isn’t quite right for us yet, but I am not sure how many more babies I can see without throwing timing out the window.

Moving Day is Coming June 4, 2010

Shandy made the move from Des Moines, IA to Minneapolis in December. Well actually if you get technical Randy moved in October to start his new job. I stayed behind for a couple of months and sold the house and moved up over the holidays.

Randy’s new job required him to spend most of the winter months in Europe. Great for him, not so great for me. My job allowed me to transfer locations so the idea of going with him was quickly evaporated. With the timeline quickly approaching we realized we did not have enough time to find a new house and decided to move in with my parents for the time while Randy was gone.

Shandy was reunited at the end of April and house hunting quickly began. We found a house in an area known as South Minneapolis. While it was so nice of my parents to let us camp out at their house; we are so ready to start our lives as a married couple again and get into our new house.

Introducing the new Shandy pad, more tours coming as we move in:

The backyard was a big selling point, there is even a built-in fire pit . . . I see lots of opportunities to entertain in our future. Now we just need some friends, I hope our neighbors like us!

Moving day is June 16th and we are so excited.

Success, one day at a time! June 4, 2010

Yesterday was day one getting back on the healthy train. I am proud to report I aced it! I ate healthy I ran three miles. Hooray.

Today was harder, I think that is normally the case. Day one you are all ready to conquer the world and all the choices are easy. The problem is after a couple of days of good choices I want my clothes to fit better and the scale to move. I am proud to report I did manage to make the good choices today and I managed a 45 minute walk finished by a 15 minute mini circuit of crunches, butt burners, squats and push ups.

Day three is up next, I know I can do it!

I’ll start on Monday . . . June 2, 2010

The time has come to deal with the numbers on the scale again. I have been married for 13 months, and in that 13 months I have managed to add 10 lbs. back on to my frame. This slow and steady gaining is going to come to an end. I’ve been playing a game with myself where I’ve decided every week next week will be better, the I’ll start on Monday plan. Well that is over, it’s time to start today.

Randy and I move into our new house in two weeks and the plan will get significantly easier. Right now I am at the mercy of being a guest where I don’t control what we eat. I will also be an hour closer to work. That will mean I soon will have two hours back in my life that won’t be stuck in a vehicle. Things will get easier when we move, but that doesn’t mean I can’t start today! Losing weight has never been easy for me.

Here is my plan:

1. Get moving! Do some kind of exercise for at least 30 minutes a day six days a week.
2. Go back to eating six small meals a day. No cheating, no alcohol and no sweets during the week (I have a major sweet tooth).
3. One free day a week, allow myself a cheat day to keep my diet in check. This has worked very well for me in the past.

I have signed myself up for a 1/2 marathon in August. I always find it is easier to run when I am a little trimmer, this means I must motivate now or struggle all summer with training.

My sister-in-law has a motto she used when she turned 40. I can be forty, but I can’t be fat. I turned thirty this year and I think I am going to borrow the mantra. I have six months until my 31st birthday and my goal is to shed eighteen lbs. before my birthday.

I’ll post lots of pictures along the way. I can do this!

iPhone Blues June 1, 2010

I became an addict about 6 months ago and then Friday night on my way home from work this happened.

I was getting out of the car and the phone fell from the side of my purse directly on to the pavement. I’ve dropped it before, but in the past it’s been on the grass or carpet, this time, not so lucky! The screen shattered into a million pieces. Here is the amazing part, it still worked.

I was so sad! How my life has changed, I have an unhealthy relationship with my iPhone. I brought it to the genius bar on Sunday and they were able to put a new screen on it. For a mere $213 I have my phone back.

Lessons learned, no more dropping phone on pavement unless I would prefer to spend money on fixing phone versus something much more fun.