Realizations and a Helpful Tip from Yours Truly

First things first: HAPPY 9TH BIRTHDAY TO MY NEPHEW!!!

OK now on to business. So, I have totally lacked on the blogging and to be honest I haven't even logged in for 2 weeks! I know, I know, I'm putting my nose in the corner right now, shame on me!

Anyway I've really started listening to my body lately when I eat certain things or go with out certain foods. It's amazing what you can learn when you just stop and listen to what your body is trying to tell you (I'm sure many of you have already learned this but I'm still learning so bear with me).

Somethings my body has told me:

1. I CANNOT indulge on junkfood like I once could! Last week we had a Halloween carnival and party at work with the kiddos. In the afternoon another teacher and myself watched a movie with our kids and gave them Orange Soda floats and cookies (I know, I know totally not healthy but it was a holiday and it rarely happens), so naturally we ate the same. That night I went out to dinner with my mom and had chicken fried steak and eggs which just so happens to be one of my favorite meals (or used too...). That night I did not feel well and ended up being sick. That was one major lesson learned and the next day I watched what I ate and felt much better (go figure).
2. My body craves water! Yesterday I had First Aid and CPR training early in the morning so naturally loaded up on caffeine but left the water bottle at home. BAD IDEA. For the rest of the morning my stomach cramped and I felt slightly naseuous and couldn't figure out why. When I got home I thought about everything I had ate or drank throughout the day to try to figure out why I wasn't feeling well and it dawned on me that I hadn't drank any water. So I drank a nice big glass of water and waited for 15 minutes and felt miles better. I really should have known better considering that throughout the week I mainly drink water with only coffee in the morning and a clear soda either at night or in the afternoon.
3. When I'm stressed I just need a good book! OK so I know that this has NOTHING to do with diet or exercise, but it was just a really stressful week at work. I got in a major argument with another teacher and had to put my foot down on somethings and had to deal with the backlash from that (although I was majorly relieved to find out that my boss sided with me and commended me on how I handled the situation). But when things were over and I was still feeling stressed and nothing was calming me down I picked up the book I was reading and just let myself get lost in the pages and I felt much much calmer when I was done.

OK so those are just a few things I've learned over the week and I actually like learning from my body and I know that it will help me in the future.

One Helpful Tip!!
Alright before I go I just wanted to give a tip that helps me when making my workout playlists for the week. As anyone with an iPod or any other musical device knows it can be daunting going through songs to add for workouts. So what I do is rate all of the songs that I know will keep me motivated while working out, that way all I have to do when creating my playlists is sort by rating then add. For me my playlists consist of anything with an amazing beat (think rock songs and rap music). This may be a tip that everyone has been using for centuries, but I figure that there may be a few out there who are still lost in the musical abyss, so there ya go!

Keep ya chin up and see ya later :)

Run Like a Girl

So I made it to the gym today (YAY)! I walked for 30 minutes around the track which averaged out to a mile and a half. As I was walking I obviously couldn't help but notice all of the runners on the track. I have always admired runners because they just look so cool, calm, and collected and well athletic. I however have always despised running and unless I was being chased by an angry hungry bear (or being forced to by evil gym teachers) I never did it. But now as I travel along the fitness highway I think I want to make running a goal. I have tried jogging before but then I caught a glimpse of myself schlumping along and went back to walking. The point is that even though I know it isn't supposed to matter what I look like when I'm exercising -- it does matter to me. SO eventually I will run, most likely not a marathon but I will be able to run a mile and not care what everyone thinks of me.

Playlist of the Day:  **All purchased on iTunes**

Move Along by All American Rejects
Gives You Hell by All American Rejects
L.O.V.E. by Ashlee Simpson
Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It) by Beyonce
Love Drunk by Boys Like Girls
Womanizer by Britney Spears
Undo It by Carrie Underwood
Lifesong by Casting Crowns

Don't Call It A Comeback!

Ok so I know that the lame catch phrase titles to Blogs are probably uber annoying but I just can't think of anything else!

ANYWAY... did it I got back to working out. I didn't go to the gym because it was looking all doom and gloom outside and I really didn't want to get stuck in a downpour on my way home. So I did the teacher thing and gave myself two choices: (1) Go home and complete a workout video OR (2) don't work out at all and not see any difference in my weight and other factors of life. Well Option #2 just didn't sound pleasant so I completed a workout video. The video I chose was Leslie Sansone: Walk Away the Pounds: 30 Minute Walk, and man oh man was it a workout. I forgot just how much I love her videos! I think I may have to start doing one once or twice a week just to give myself a challenge. Believe me they are kind of challenging, not Tae Bo (another fave of mine) challenging but a still a bit of a challenge.

Because I have done these videos quite a few times I turned the volume down really low and turned on my iPod, because, well let's face it you can only listen to those cheesey "we're all winners" speeches sooo many times before you just want to give yourself a root canal! My playlist will follow, I came to the conclusion that I like the playlists so I will be keeping them.

Workout Playlist
London Bridge by Fergie
Just Dance by Lady Gaga and Colby O'Donis
Eenie Meenie by Sean Kingston and Justin Beiber
Carrie Out by Timbaland and Justin Timberlake
Hey, Soul Sister by Train
Don't Trust Me by 3OH!3
Dirty Little Secret by All American Rejects
Move Along by All American Rejects

As always I get my songs from iTunes. My top three recommendations would be: London Bridge, Carrie Out, and Don't Trust Me, although if you are offended by language I would most definitely pass on Don't Trust Me. OH! I really like Move Along so I guess I have a top 4.

Down But Not Out

So obviously I have not been updating anything lately because well I've just finally gotten over a bout of Strep throat and am finally starting to feel back to normal (really yucky cough not withstanding).

Over the course of this past week I have not worked out but I have been working on eating better. I'm eating lots more fruits (veggies are still REALLY hard fore me to enjoy) but unfortunately all of the festively packaged Halloween candy has proved hard to resist. But I am trying! I've also decided that I'm just going to have start using my "Teacher Voice" on myself when it comes to working out. By the end of the work day my inner 4-year old whines so much that I end up caving and not going to the gym. Which is just unacceptable behavior (something that is a major no-no in my preschool classroom).

I've also decided that I need to stop juding my worth based on how much I weigh and what size my clothes are. I stop myself from doing things that I really want to do because "I'm just not ready yet," and I have to stop that. So I've decided that I'm going to start pursing my passions no matter what and just maybe that will help me become a happier healthier me. Two things that I really want to start doing is taking more picture (I love photography and actually used to dream about becoming a photographer) and supporting a cause that's important to me. I haven't quite decided how I'm going to go about doing these things, but obviously once I figure it out it will be my next blog post.

What can I say I'm just ill like that!

Well it appears that I have strep throat or at least a very strep like bacteria (whatever that means) which means no work and a whole lot of couch time for a couple of days. I can't help but feel like I've jinxed myself  because just last week at work I said (and quote) "Man, I would LOOVE a couple of days off...I haven't had a day off in forever!" So, naturally God decided that this would be an excellent time to teach me the lesson "Be careful what you wish for" and give me a horribly sore throat -- it literally feels like someone is scraping their fingernails down the inside of my throat (lovely picture huh?) So after spending a miserable day at work yesterday I called in today and made myself a doctors appointment.

Needless to say that I probably won't be getting much exercise in either these next two day, but I will try to amp myself up to get back in the routine once I'm up and moving again. I also discovered that the scale at the doctors office and the one at the gym have about a 5 pound difference (the gym says I weigh less). I don't have a scale at home -- I could easily see myself becoming OBSESSED with what the numbers are everyday, so I can't really compare....so I've decided for the time being to make myself feel better I'm going to agree with the one at the gym (and plus I'm there more than I'm at the doctors).

Walking the Walk

So went back to the gym today for the first time in like three weeks. I even got brave and stepped on the scale!!! To my slight happiness I realized that I only gained back three pounds of what I lost.

My workout consisted of the basics of walking and eliptical. I did a ten minute walk just to warm up. Then I got on the eliptical and did frontwards and backwards intervals for ten minutes. And finished with another ten minute walk. My goal is to get back in the habit of doing 20 minutes of eliptical and only 10 minutes of walking....I know I'll get there again I just have to work back into it.

I've been debating with myself on whether or not I should post my workout playlists (I change them every day) so I think I'll post my one from today. If anyone finds it annoying let me know and I'll nix that idea...and if anyone has some good music suggestions please let me know!


Sunday playlist:
The Ballad of You and I -- Melee
God Save the Foolish Kings -- House of Heroes
Paint it Black -- The Rolling Stones
Buttons -- The Pussy Cat Dolls (feat. Snoop Dogg)
Check Yes Juliet -- We the Kings
Starstrukk -- 3OH!3 (feat. Katy Perry)
Mysterious Ways -- U2

Once again if you think the playlists are annoying please let me know and I'll more than likely scrap the idea (I can't even decide if I think it's annoying). I get all of my songs off of iTunes and The Ballad of You and I and God Save the Foolish Kings were two of there free weekly downloads.

Excuses, Excuses

I'm too tired...I'm too stressed...I don't want to...It's raining, it's pouring, the old man is snoring!...err...ummm..the dog ate my gym membership!

EEK! I ran out of excuses! I guess that means that I have no other choice than to suck it up and get back to the workout routine (Sigh). Although in some ways I do like working out, I get in a zone and everyone else just kind of disappears, which when you work in child care you need sometimes.

I've also decided that I'm going to embrace my inner picky eater (those who know me know that I have some very specific food rules) and change my eating habits. Gone are the days when I shovel the garbage they feed us at work into my mouth and here are the days that I eat food that I actually know the ingredients of! VIVA LA HEALTHY EATING!!!

I'll try to be much better about posting I promise (finger only slightly crossed) and maybe will even start including some of my fave things that keep me up and motivated...hmmm...decisions, decisions.