Thursday, September 12, 2013

Austin ROC Race

This past weekend was loaded with tons of fun. We went fishing, we cleaned the house and might I add Drew started first...omg. That's a first. I also went to a baby shower where I won a game and received a bottle of vodka. Heck Yes. Best baby shower gift I've ever received. But I would say the best part of this weekend was partiipating in the ROC race.

I rounded up a team of 48 to run the Ridiculous Obstacle Challenge with me. Drew and my mom also participated. There were all sorts of fun obstacles such as jumping on tubes down a hill on a slip n' slide or the worlds largest inflatable slide and moon bounce. I think the one that had the most attention was the wrecking ball. You had to walk across a beam and two huge red balls were swinging in circles trying to knock you off. I was not the only one who didn't make it across, in fact, most people didn't make it across. Drew managed though. He's got this extra competitive side to him so he wanted to be one of the only ones that made it without getting knocked down. He thinks he's cool.

I'm still waiting to get pictures of me falling and looking like a hot mess from the ROC race organizers but in the mean time, here are a couple of before pictues and pictures of the obstacles. Enjoy!



 

 



 
I definitely enjoyed this race and truly think it was the best fun run I've ever participated in. I highly recommend this. And the cool thing is that the ROC race occurs all throughout the U.S. Check out their website for you opportunity to participate in such a fun event. 
 
 
Have you ever participated in an event like the ROC race?

Would you consider doing the ROC race?
 
What was the funnest thing you did this weekend?


Thursday, August 29, 2013

Arm Workout, Co-Ed Softball, and Soreness

I know, I know. It's weird that I'm posting two days in a row. But it helps to keep me accountable.

You all know how sore I was yesterday. Well today I have a severe case of DOMS. Kill me now.
I think I really screwed up and went to hard for my first day back working out. It kills me to walk or even stand. The soreness did not stop me from working out during lunch yesterday.

 
 
I told my friend Stephanie that I hadn't worked out in so long I didn't know what to do for an arm day. So she very kindly gave me this workout. And now I can't lift my arms over my head.
 


Bicep/Tricep

Superset
3x each
15 reps

Set 1
Bicep curl
Tricep push down
Repeat 2 more X

Set 2
Hammer curl
Tricep dip
Repeat 2 more X

Set 3
Bicep curl with straight bar
Tricep push down
Repeat 2more X

Set 4
Rotating bicep curl incline
Overhead Tricep extension
Repeat 2 more X

Finish off with 2 or 3 of your favorite leg exercises
Could be.... Lunges (like we did at my house)
Leg curls and /or squats

Yeahhh buddy. I finished the whole thing and then hopped on a bike for about 15 minutes before my lunch was over.

When I got back I was starving and broke so I had a healthy choice lasagna in a box. NOT BAD people. I mean I know it's not great for you but it was better than the alternative of chips, cookies and ice cream.


Both Drew and I have always been into sports. I played, basketball, volleyball, softball, track, and Drumline. Yes drumline is a sport people. So not to long ago Drew signed us for a co-ed softball league. We are having a blast! Our last game was a wipe out. We won 20-2! We probably would have scored more but they only let you get 9 runs per inning so they cut us off at 9, twice. Here is my team and I love that our shirts are pink. The guys dig it too. Maybe that's why they made the team name... PITCH SLAP!






What sports did you play?

Would you join a co-ed sports team?

Any recommendations to cure DOMS?

Wednesday, August 28, 2013

Yesterday's Lunch Workout - No weights required!!

Happy Wednesday!! I can't say I was too happy this morning. I could not get out of bed.

I had a lunch workout yesterday. I was ready to get back into the swing of things. And boy, did I. I pushed myself. When my mind told me to stop, my heart told me pick those legs up girl, you got this.

Part of my inspiration to get back hitting the gym is my goal to become a firefighter. I know ya'll, this girl is crazy. I'm about to finish school (one class left) for criminal justice, but I don't see the idea of being a police officer or parole officer to satisfying. I picture a lot of hopes and goals being crushed. Especially with the idea of working with offenders who you really want to help and you put them on the right track and then, BAMMM! they go do something stupid and really disappoint you and get their butts sent back to jail.

I knew I wanted to have an active job. No more desk jobs!! I wanted something that would be rewarding and something that would make my family proud. Drew's Aunt is actually a firefighter and said she would help me a long the way and looks forward to it.

So anyways, let's get down to the workout. I've posted this workout before but it has been a very longggg time ago. What I love about it is that it does not require any weights or equiptment and can get done very fast if you don't have much time.






100 Workout (time yourselves and try to get better everytime)
100 Jumping Jacks
90 Crunches (I do 30 regular and 30 to each side)
80 Squats (this is why I am sore)
70 Leg Lifts
60 Jumping Jakcs
50 Crunches
40 Squats
30 Leg Lifts (Your mind will tell you that you can't do this but keep pushing)
20 Minutes of Jogging/Walking out your legs
 5 Minutes of Stretching
Good Luck!

Thursday, August 1, 2013

Where have you been...are you hiding from me?

The past couple of months have been really hard on me. I was not focused on one thing, I was focused on too many things. The things that were once most important in my life i.e, running, were put on hold. But I'm happy to say that I'm back.

I've been doing really well lately. My favorite class by far is Spin Class. I never thought I would like it, but man I love the way it makes my legs feel. And I love the sweat dripping off. Very satisfying.

 
 
 Drew and I have also picked up a new hobby...FISHING! I think we're in love. There's something about catching your first fish that makes you keep going back for more. Even when we don't catch anything we still feel like we had a great time. The other day we rented a canoe and rowed 6 MILES! That was the best arm workout I've ever had. And at the same time, we caught 6 fish!!





 
I really like your bass... That is a nice bass :]
 
I've also been trying to make it a point to stay in contact with old and new friends. My bff from middle school is pregnant and due any minute now. I cannot wait to meet baby Jaxon.
 


 
 
I'm very excited about my workout future and I'm excited about learning more about what foods are good for you. One thing I have been bad about was making sure I'm getting the right amount of protein, carbs, fruits, and vegetables a day. That is my goal for the month of August.

Friday, June 28, 2013

Everyone's Motivation but My Own

It didn't really occur to me until recently that I have encouraged a lot of people in the past to start working out and taking care of themselves.

I didn't realize this until I fell off the healthy living bandwagon and others began to notice. They weren't saying "oh, your gaining weight what happened"...(actually that might have worked) but instead they are saying "I need your motivation." What does that mean exactly?

I think the difference is before I was always in a great mood, always talking about my workouts, and always talking about my upcoming races. They knew that I had lost 120 pounds and were so inspired. But I stopped for some reason, I'm not exactly sure why except for lazyness or maybe getting comfortable at the size I was. But now, I'm so angry at myself for stopping.

I feel that I've let myself down and the other people that I had inspired. It's time to get back on track. Many of the people actually work at my job and have suggested that I start and lead a mini bootcamp in the mornings before work to help them get motivated. But how do you motivate someone when you are not motivated yourself?

I think my motivation will actually stem from what I've learned recently. That I INSPIRE OTHERS. I love that feeling, I want to rub off healthy living on others. I am getting started this morning. I will not let anything get in the way of me reaching my goal.

Are you ready? I think I'm gonna start some new classes and let you guys know how it goes.
Maybe some yoga, cycling, bootcamp classes...




Wednesday, June 26, 2013

Gender Reveal Party [Video]

Follow">http://www.bloglovin.com/blog/3962782/?claim=mkf7n8jqvdm">Follow my blog with Bloglovin

We are all gonna have to do it soon...So I finally did it today!

Hope you guys are having an awesome Wednesday. I know I am. I hosted my brother and sister-in-law's gender reveal party last night....It's a GIRLLLL!




My brother looks so scared when he found out it was a girl haha. Amber was super excited!! So was I. Madisyn Grace will be spoiled rotten :]



Tuesday, June 25, 2013

The Real Ugly Truth

I've been missing. I know! Kill me now.

& it definitely shows. I think I've gained 10 pounds. OUCH!!! I also feel like shit, both mentally and physically. It's time to get my butt back in gear. I need to stop putting off working out because it honestly makes me feel 10x better when I do.

Do I have any good excuses as to why I've been missing?

NO GOOD EXCUSES!!!


Wednesday, June 5, 2013

Total Fitness Wednesday!!!

Happy Wednesday! And Happy National Running Day!!! Woot Woot. Party over here, Party over there.....Actually there is a party going on. It's a bloghop kinda party.

 
Total Fitness Wednesday is hosted by Asphalt and Trails.
 
                   If you would like to join, check out her page and find out the guidelines!!!
 
 
      It sure is hot here in Texas! So I wanted to give some quick tips on how to beat the heat.
 

Yesterday I went for a run, and just about died after 1 mile...1 freakin mile. I felt so heavy, hot, and couldn't see shit b/c the sun was so bright. Clouds, Wind, Rain, please come soon.
 
 
1. Drink extra water throughout the day. You'll be sweating extra when you're out running in the heat so it's important to be well hydrated.
 
2. I tried to avoid areas of direct heat as much as possible so I tried to run in shady neighborhoods. Another good idea would be to go run in a park.
 
3. Wear Sunglasses to avoid loosing your eyeballs. Seriously. I wouldn't have been able to see if a car was right in front of me.
 
4. If you don't normally eat something try to eat something very small like a mini cliff bar or something to give you that extra energy that the sun drains out of you.
 
5. After running jump into the nearest pool. I would do it to just relax and get cool but now that I think about it you could turn it into a little exercise too.
 
6. How about avoiding going in the middle of the day?!!? Duh. I know some of us have no choice or are too lazy to wake up to early or to lazy to run after eating dinner. Sucks for us because we'll have to run in the heat. But you early birds and night owls got it made.
 
7. Trade some of your outside runs for the Dreadmill. I know it can be difficult to run on the treadmill because of boredom but you'll be thankful you did instead of being in the heat.
 
8. I'd say wear a hat. But I don't even do that. I feel like it doesn't give my noggin room to breathe. I like to sweat and then feel the wind from my "super speedy" runs, so no hat for me.
 
9. Something that won't help you feel cooler but that you definitely need to do if you are running longer distances, wear SUNSCREEN! Keep your skin beautiful and healthy.
 
10. You could have your boyfriend/husband/friend follow you in a car as you run and throw ginormous water buckets at you every 5 minutes...but really ain't no body got time for that.
 
 
 
 


Wednesday, May 22, 2013

Holding Eachother Accountable

As you may have heard in a previous post last year, I was helping my mom as her personal trainer. I showed her some things to do at the gym. We'd make sure we'd make it to the gym at least 5-6 times a week and then on the other days away from the gym we'd have to still do something active. We we're holding eachother accountable and making to check in with eachtoher on what we did that day to be active. We we're loosing weight and building muscle together. It felt great. That lasted an entire month...and then just ended.


Well I don't like to call myself a quitter so this morning I told Mom we're going to start back up again! I really can't wait.

I can't wait to feel sore again.

I can't wait to see muscles definition again.

I can't wait to feel comfortable in my clothes again.

I can't wait to see Drew's face when I show the amount of pushups I can do.

I can't wait to sign up for 5k's and get faster at each one.

I can't wait to live and breathe "HEALTHY"

I can't wait to get excited to read a Runners World magazine.

I can't wait to get excited to go to zumba, FREE Saturday Crossfit at my box, and cycling class.

I can't wait to FEEL happy again.

I can't wait to receive the compliments again.


I am soooo ready and I know my Mom is ready too. She's ready to have someone push her to her limits, to tell her no to that chocolate cake, and to be told that someone is very proud of her.



Tuesday, May 21, 2013

Camping Fun

I finally made it camping. It has been years! We actually went earlier this month for my birthday, but I'm just now getting around to writing a post about it.

I don't have many pictures because I was having too much fun to worry about charging my phone or pulling out any electronics for that matter.

I was only able to get one picture in before my phone died and I didn't care anymore.


Drew and Mema on the bottom right
 
 
Isn't that view awesome. I was so excited when Drew and I arrived. My parents, Mema, and the Dogs had gotten there earlier in the day and camp was already set up! YESSS!! That's how you do it.
 
We played darts, listened to music, made smores (OMG sooooo Good), and drank a little beer. Even Mema got in on the beer action with a little budlight strawberitta. GO MEMA! It's your birthday! The next day we woke pretty earlier and I made everyone biscuits and gravy, bacon and eggs. Obviously we aren't the traditional campers anymore we have a pull behind camper that comes with an oven, stove, shower, and plenty of sleeping room! Sweet.
 
 
Later in the day Drew and I decided to go fishing. I didn't think we'd last very long b/c I used to get bored after an hour. But we ended up fishing for 4 hours. We had a bet going. $5 for the first person to catch a fish, $5 for the biggest fish, and $5 for the most fish caught. Drew caught the first but I caught the BIGGEST!!! Everyone at the marina was impressed. They even started asking me questions about how deep I was fishing  and what bait I was using. They I thought I was a professional. :] We didn't end up catching anymore fish so we tied. A lot of people at the marina did end up giving us the fish that they caught. WINNER WINNER FISH DINNER.
 
 
My brother, his wife Amber, and lots of Uncles, Aunt's and Cousins made it out. It was the best birthday/camping trip ever. I think we've decided we are going to do this every year for my birthday. I had a blast. Just wish it wasn't over so soon.

Thursday, May 16, 2013

I may not be_____but I am _______!

I may not be the worlds fastest runner but I am a runner.

I may not be the most fashionable person but I am the most cautious person.

I may not be a great cleaner but I am a great designer.

I may not be the smartest but I am still going to school.

I may not have the best job but I still can pay my bills.

I may not eat the healthiest but I work my ass off so that I can eat what I want.

I may not have a bangin body but I do have a bangin smile and personality to match.

I may not give my friends enough time but I am always there when they need me.

I may not be the tidiest person but I will always be on time.

I may not be the healthiest cook but I can freakin cook my butt off.

I may not have the best car but I do have a car that gets me where I need.

I may not wash the outside of my car but I can change my own oil.

I may not be the girl who can fulfill your wildest desires but I am the girl that can beat you at video games.

I may not have a normal family but I have the best, funniest family you could ask for.

I may not do everything I promise myself I do but I have the best intentions.




What are some things you are very bad at?

What are some things you are very good at?

Tuesday, May 7, 2013

Last Day of Classes!!

Woot woot. Well it's not officially my LAST day of classes. I take two more classes this summer and then I'll finally be done with school. I can't believe it! Ya'll I've been in college a lonnnnggg time.

As soon as I graduated high school I started the very next semester at Texas State University. I was sooo eager and excited and my best friend got in too. We just knew that we'd be having fun for so long in school together. Well things didn't end up that way.

My parents told me they'd help pay for college but after the first year we all realized how expensive it really is. Keep in mind I didn't get any scholarships or government assistance. We'd have to pay out of pocket for it. Well after the first year my parents said that's all they could afford. I continued on for another half year and realized I'd never be able to make the payments. So I took the easy way out and quit. I left my best friend down there and my dreams.

About a year later I decided I needed to go back and finish something that I always saw myself doing. I decided to enroll at Austin Community College while working full time. So since then I've been taking two classes at a time and working. And I am proud to say that I will graduate this year.

YAYYYY!!! The one thing I wish I would have done differently was to start at ACC and take as many classes as possible then transfer to Texas State. But I was way to excited to have gotten accepted into Texas State. I now know the wait is worth it.


Friday, May 3, 2013

Road trip

Hey guys, you will have to bear with me. Im in the car with my hunny bunny so im writing this on the good ol phone.

Were headed to the lake to go camping and im super excited!!!

My dad, mom, and mema (grandma) have already gotten there. At least set up is done...haha. My brother and his wife will be arriving tomorrow to celebrate an my birthday a little early.

Yall I havent gone camping in like 3 years. my family and I used to go every weeekend until I was in 6th or 7th grade. At the time I didnt appreciate it as muchas I do now. Its so relaxing....ahhh I cant wait to get there.

We do things just a tad bit different now. We used to be tent campers but we have upgraded and now have a pull behind camper, with an oven and shower....heavan:)

I made sure to bring my workout clothes to go on a run and maybe catch some cool nature shots. Im most excited about fishing though...and hopefully catching some fish so that we dont go starving...ha kidding. We knew better and brought some food...just incase.

Whens the last time you went camping?


Tuesday, April 30, 2013

Phone Dumpin'

I, like Andrea, am just to busy lazy to post a real post....so here's some pictures I found on my tablet.


My sleepy baby...His name is D.O.G. isn't he precious.
 
 
And this is Kujo...the evil one. You think I'm lying? His name is Kujo for a reason. See below.
 
 
See, He is trying to bite me right and all I wanted to do was pet him. :[
 
 
Saw this guy on my flight to Miami. Doesn't he look like Johnny Knoxville? Anyone...?
 
 
Got the Keratin treatment done to my hair. I love it. Ladies, it's definitely worth the money.
 
 
Austin Reggae Fest - Day
 
 
Austin Reggae Fest - Night
 
Delicious breakfast from a little french restauraunt in Miami - Bread was DEeeelicious.
 
This pictured doesn't do this dogs size justice. He was humungo...

 

Monday, April 29, 2013

Excuses are like a butthole, everyone's got one

It feels great to workout again here at work during lunch. I need to make sure I do this every opportunity I get. I'm ready to be committed again. There are several things I need to change in order to make this work.

1.Stop making excuses as to why you can workout.
    • My latest excuses include:
      • I JUST got my hair done and couldn't sweat for three days until the Keratin treatment was washed out....I made that 3 days turn into over 2 weeks.
      • I don't want to have to redo my hair so I'm not going to sweat = I'm not lifting weights, running or even moving off of this couch.
      • I have school Tuesdays and Thursdays so I can't work out those days...Ummm...I get out of work at 3:30, 4 at the latest. I don't have to be in class until 6. Even it's for 30 minutes, just get out there and do it.
      • Mondays and Friday's are off limits for me to workout because its the beginning and ending of the week. BULLSHIT! get over it already.
      • Saturday and Sunday I'm "recovering" from my drinking habit....STOP GETTING DRUNK!
      • Wednesdays are my only free days so I dedicate that to washing laundry day. I can always run in between loads...Just do it.

 2. Make your mind up and stick to it. I will tell myself I'm gonna workout and then about   30 minutes before it's time, I find a reason not to. Or I'll say instead of running you can clean up the house and that'll work. Thats only a good excuse if you've been working out the entire week and honestly need a break.

3. I've been eating entirely to much. Like a mad woman...seriously. I got so angry and upset at Drew for eating my hot funyuns. There is no reason EVER to get that mad about someone eating something of yours....especially when it's not good for you anyways. After realizing what I just did, I apologized. I was honestly embarrassed.

4. Blog more often. I found that once I stopped blogging and reading other's blogs my mind kind of drifted away from healthy living. I swear blogging is a big motivation for me and so is reading others. I will be posting more often. Sorry guys for leaving you hanging.

5. Take classes at Gold's gym. I used to love Zumba and only tried cycling once. I loved it and need to continue going.

I have a lot to work on but I'm definitely excited to get started. I love the feeling!!!!!

Wednesday, April 10, 2013

Tips for growing out Unruly/Ethnic Hair

Happy Hump Day!

HELP!!! I have ethnic hair and I don't know what to do with it.

All throughout my life I've always hated my hair. Why? Because it was too difficult to deal with. It always looked messy and the only way to not make it look messy was to put horrible products in my hair such as "grease" what my grandma would make me use, and "mousse" what my Mom would have me use.

Everyday from 5th grade until 11th grade I wore my hair up in a bun and would use mousse to keep it up. I wanted to do something else with my hair but didn't think anything would work. I had tried straightening it but it would immediately turn into a big puff ball. So what did I do?

I got a relaxer. I wanted straight, smooth hair but wasn't worried about the consequences of putting such dangerous chemicals in my hair. Actually I didn't think they were dangerous, I was naive. After the first time I got my hair relaxed, I was in love. My hair was so long and it was so nice to see it straight. I should have known that the relaxer was dangerous because when applied it started to burn my head and I was actually left with burns. Did I let that stop me? No. I wanted to keep getting it done because it was the best my hair ever looked.

I later discovered that my hair was breaking. It was in bad condition. I had lost half the length of my hair. I was no longer happy with getting relaxers. I finally looked into it and the chemical fermaldehyde can be found in relaxers and that's what was killing my hair.

This is an extreme example of what it could have turned out to, but I stopped!!!





Recently I have been researching better hair practices and learning a lot about what chemicals to avoid and what you should do to help your hair grow. Today I will be sharing with you how you can achieve the same results.


1. If you get relaxers, stop now. You may not like the way your hair looks while your trying to grow it out, but deal with it for a while so that you can have healthy hair later on.

2. Make sure to get your hair trimmed every three months or so to ensure you are getting rid of the split ends. You  would think that you are just cutting your hair even shorter, but by cutting the ends you allow for your hair to grow longer, instead of continuously breaking at the ends.

3. Avoid Shampoo's containing Sulphate and Sodium. They strip your hair of anything you put in it. It's also used to create that rich lather that many of us love, but there our other ingredients that can do that for you in a shampoo.

4. Avoid products containing alcohol. It will dry out your hair, cause it to be frizzy and dry. It can give you more split ends and it will remove the color from your hair if you dye it or it will completely remove a Keratin Treatment.

5. Wear your hair in protective ways. Good ideas for this would be a bun or french braid. You want to hide those ends and protect them so that they will stay in good shape.

6. Use leave-in conditioner. Be sure to check the ingredients list and avoid Sulphate and Sodium.

7. Brush hair lightly as if you were brushing a toddlers hair. Start from the ends and work up to the roots.

8. Do not pull your hair tie out of your hair. Take the time to un-wind it from your hair. This helps cut down on breakages.

9. Use a wide tooth comb when combing your hair.

10. Air dry instead of blow dry. Make sure to use a heat protectant. If you must blow dry and have normal hair, use a heat protectant. Do not use heat protectant if you just got the Keratin treatment. This too may strip your hair of the Keratin.

11. As you can tell, I am a fan of the Keratin Treatment. If you think your hair is too unruly but don't want to risk it with chemicals like fermaldehyde, then try a Keratin treatment. It actually puts proteing back in to the DNA of your hair. It even looks better than getting a relaxer. I totally recommend it. I know it may be on the pricier side, but it's more safe, gives your hair protein, and gives your hair body.



I hope you find some of these tips useful. It takes a lot of time to find out what works for your hair and what doesn't. Please understand that I am in no way certified in hair health, but for years I've been trying to see what works for me.

Sunday, April 7, 2013

Austin American-Statesman Capitol 10k

WooooooWeeeeee! I am very tired right now....well my body is, my brain is fired up.

This morning I ran the Austin-American Statesman Capitol 10k. I think you all remember my last post stating that I haven't run in a month. I really thought this run was going to be miserable, but from this race I learned that once you build endurance and the mentality to keep pushing on, it stays with you even if you take a little break.

There were over 17,000 participants, HOLY MOLY! The gun fired and it took me about 8 1/2 minutes to even get to the start line. I started off down Congress towards the Capital. That was definitely the easy part. Actually the first two and half miles were really flat and it felt really good. Then the dreaded 15th street came. HILLS, HILLS, HILLS! Especially the part where you pass House Park Football Stadium. I loved going down that hill, but getting back up on the other side...wellll....sucked. I missed a lot of the bands that were playing along side the course but I didn't miss the family eating eggs, bacon and toast outside on their side walk....drooollll! At this point I finally turned on my IPOD. Along the way some guy was passing out Krispy Kreme donuts. I sure didn't want one....and a little further down the course was the good ol' shots of beer. I didn't stop because it was still crowded and you really have to watch your step.

At about mile 4, I thought it was time to bust out my Scooby snacks. It was right about when I was telling myself I could walk if I really wanted to. But I didn't. I ate my snacks grabbed a quick water at the water station. I have a strategy for the water stations. It's called "grab a cup, keep running, take a sip, spit it out, take a sip, gulp it down, throw the rest on the back of my neck". You should try it, it works wonders.I knew the last 2 miles really well because when I run town lake that is the exact same course I take. I knew it was smooth sailing from them...except that it wasn't. I started to get really tired and worn down but told myself "one foot in front of the other" And I made it. I finished and I was darn proud because I haven't been running and it looked as if I got the close to the same as last year's time when I was training.

I went and grabbed water and proceeded to the "Penguin" sign which is where I told my coworkers, all 23 of us to meet. I still had to wait for my Mom so I walked around a bit and then finally headed over to the finishline to run the rest with her. I am so proud of her. This was the longest walk/run she has ever done. She finished in 1:38 minutes. Way to go, Mom.

I came immediately home to foam roll, make pizza, and hop in the shower that I very much needed. I got online to check my time because I didn't know the exact time. 1:08:18. The EXACT same time I ran it in last year, down to the SECOND! I had to look twice and make sure, but yeppp, this girl stayed consistent. If you would have asked me months ago, my goal would have been to beat that time. But seeing how I haven't been training, my goal was just to run the whole darn thing without stopping. I'm so proud of myself for not even loosing a second. :]

Have you gotten your family interested in running/walking race events?

Do you have a good technique to get you up those darn hills?

Do you have a game plan down for water stops?

Thursday, March 28, 2013

8 Reasons a Break from Running can be a Good Thing

Howdy Ya'll!!

I have been taking a much needed break from running/working out and blogging. I'm currently working full time and attending classes. They are short classes so they cram in so much in so little time.

Other than that, life has been great. I've been really enjoying my time even though it's passing very quickly. The next 3 weeks I have 3 races. The first is a fun run called the Electric Run. I have a team of 8 people. That's right! I finally got my friends to join me in a race. It will be awesome. You should check if it's coming to your city. www.electricrun.com  That race is here in Austin this weekend. The following weekend I will be running the Capital 10k. I haven't been running in a month so I am not prepared to PR, but I am prepared to go enjoy myself with the other 24,999 runners. And the weekend after that I will be running the Ausin 10/20. 10 miles/20 bands. It will be my longest run ever. And again, because I haven't been running, I don't suspect that I'll be having the greatest run of my life, but I will be rockin it out there...and eveyone gets a medal! I'm in.

So like I said earlier, I've taken a whole month off of running. Here is a couple of reasons why you might want to try it too.

  1. It gave me time to miss it.
  2. It gave me time to do other things that I wouldn't normally do because of working out such as the Austin Rodeo/Carnival...and my vacation to Miami and the Bahamas.
  3. When I ran again today, I didn't dread it. I enjoyed it.
  4. It gave me time to remeber that it's not all about timing, pace, and mileage, but about being healthy and enjoying the run.
  5. It gave me time to realize that when I don't run, I feel sluggish and tired and fat.
  6. It gave me a reason to not have a set schedule everyday after work. I got to enjoy me time.
  7. It gave me more time with my boyfriend and dogs.
  8. It also made me realize that if you take a break it is okay just as long as you get back into it.
There are several other reasons to give yourself a break from running.

Have you ever taken a break from running? Was it from an injury or just because?

What did you realize when you took a break from running?

Do you have any fun races coming up?

Tuesday, March 19, 2013

My First Plane Ride

Everytime that I mention to someone that I've never been on a plane, I get the "your crazzzzy, no wayyy" look. Apparently everyone and their mama's have been on a plane before.

On my trip to Miami and the Bahamas I had to do 3 take off's and 3 landings. WOW!

Leaving Austin I told Mom that I wanted the window seat. So I sat at the window seat and I was always right on the wing for every plane ride I was on that week.



I was super excited and nervous at the same time. We rounded a corner and were on the straight away. As we started going faster, I started to get more nervous....scared actually. But too late, there's no turning back now.

Mom was able to catch a couple of pictures of me while the plane was taking off. In one of them you can kinda see a tear. Yes people. I was scared. I didn't like my first take off at all....I flipped the eff out. Any weird noise I heard or any subtle movement caused me to freak out...

So I did what I do best. I ordered a drink. OMG! Those airplanes do NOT play around with their mixed drinks. I believe it was probably the strongest drink I've ever had. I was in love. I had two drinks and by the time I was done with two I had a nice buzz and the rest of the plane trip went smoothly.


By my next plane takeoff I was a little more at ease. I knew the drill and I knew that those weird noises I was hearing doesn't mean the plane is going down. :]

And by my thrid take off, I felt like a pro....

I will have a lot more pictures for you guys once my camera situation gets fixed. Some are too funny.



Would you ever be a flight attendant?
Probably not.

Do you know anyone that has never been on a plane before?
Just me...and some babies...but then again, a lot of babies have been on more plane rides that I ever will.


Friday, March 15, 2013

Pro Compression Giveaway

Who loves Pro Compression gear? I do, I do. And who doesn't love free things?

Well I wanted to spread the love to all of you guys.

Pro Compression is having a giveaway for this month.


Prizes include an iPAD MINI (1 winner), an iPOD NANO (1 winner), PRO Compression Marathon Socks (2 Winners) and Marathon Calf Sleeves  (2 Winners)!


TWO easy ways you can enter for a chance to win:


1. Place an order using coupon code MARCH (get 40% off and FREE shipping) to purchase any Marathon Socks or Calf Sleeves online at procompression.com.

 

2.  Enter by email here: LINK 

Maximum two entries per person; using coupon code MARCH and by email address count as two entries. A total of 6 winners will be chosen at random.

That's it! So simple.  But hurry, the deadline for entering is March 20, 2013.
Link to official rules.



Sign up!! What are you waiting for?

Wednesday, March 13, 2013

And Now She's Back

I am back and pretty glad to be back, minus the waking up early, not having breakfast, lunch, and dinner already prepared, and no one to make my bed for me.

I have a ton of pictures I wanted to share with you guys but my camera is being funky. I'll figure it out soon.

Just know I had a blast but definitely missed my hunny bunny and Kujo and D.O.G.

Some quick things I learned:

People in Miami can be quite rude.
People in Miami are crazzzy drivers. From the airport to the hotel I almost saw 4 wrecks.
They also honk at you even when there's no where for you to go, like at a red light.
When you go to the bahamas, don't let the straw market hustle you, you hustle the straw market.
Got some great deals because of my hustlin skills :]


It feels great to be back in AUSTIN!!!

Thursday, March 7, 2013

Welcome to Miami

I leave for my trip today!!! Woot Woot! I couldn't be more excited.


Except....I will be missing these guys.


I will be having a great time while missing my babies, b/c....



and....

I'll be enjoying some Bahama Mama's in the BAHAMAS!!!



Be ready for lots of pictures and reviews!!

Saturday, March 2, 2013

March Goals b/c February Sucked

Did any else feel like they kinda lost their momentum last month?

I feel like I didn't do anything productive to keep myself healthy. I mean I did get sick, but did I bounce right back from it? NO. I don't like the way not exercising or eating right made me feel. I felt sluggish, fat, and mentally I felt that I had given up. But I am not a person to give up that easily.

So for the month of March I will have goals to keep me in line. I think for every goal I complete off of my goal list I can purchase that many new workout clothing items. That sounds like a win win to me.

March Goals

1. Avoid eating sweets everyday. Only eat 1-2 sweet things a week.

2. Drink more water. I'm usually pretty good at this but I can feel that I am not as hydrated as I should be.

3. Run outside a minimum of 3 times a week/Strength train a minimum of 2 times a week.

4. STOP overeating. When you are full, put the fork down! Why has this been so hard for me lately?

5. Stay active when I get home from work. Don't plop down, because my big ass will not get back off the couch!


With my trip coming up, I know a couple of these will be hard. But I have a plan!
  • There will be free food so I will not feel guilty if I don't everything on my plate.
  • I am packing my running gear so I can run on the beach of Miami and run on the cruise ships track. Yes, they have a track. AWESOME!
  • Use the hotel gym to get my strength training in.
  • Sodas cost extra on the ship...heck I don't even drink soda's except for with mixed drinks so that will encourage me to drink lots of water
  • I'm sure I will be active enough. I'll be walking a lot to check out the sights and sounds of Miami and the Bahamas.
Do you have any goals for March?

Besides running and hitting the gym, what kinds of things do you do to keep yourself "active" throughout the day?

Thursday, February 28, 2013

What I've been loving lately

Hello just checking in...wanted to give you guys a couple of things I've been loving lately.

  1. You can never go wrong with a pair of tights. I love how comfy and cute they are. You can wear them casually or on a date night. Paired with an overside button down shirt, and your ready to hit the town!
 
 
 
 
 

2. I've really been into these puppies lately. They make my day better everytime I walk through that door. I love how D.O.G stretches like human being while getting off the bed. He puts his two front paws off of the bed and keeps the back two on his bead then lowers his tummy to the ground. Too Cute. And Kujo! He's a little handful. Just a couple of days ago I heard his little self howl for the first time. It was so cute that I almost wanted to cry.


D.O.G and Kujo
 
 
 
 
3. Disc Golf!!! If you've never been, you need to try it now! It's really fun, and if you like a little competition this is the perfect way to beat your hunny at a sport. It's a great daytime date too. And you can't beat the scenery. Of course I'm still holding the frisbee because "I have to take a picture for my blog" Drews picture was candid. So his is more real. But you get the jist.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
4. I've been loving me some mismatched workout gear too. I like to look super hot when I'm running.
HAAAA! I never look good when running.
 
 
 
 
 
 
5. I've been eating so much chocolate lately. My absolute favorite candy are these babies. And it always helps to read the cute little messages on the inside of the wrapper.
DELICIOUSNESS!
 
 
 
 


It's almost Friday!!! Let the countdown begin.
 
Have you ever tried Disc Golf?
 
What is your favorite candy?


Friday, February 22, 2013

Mizuno Wave Rider 15's


I have been running in basketball shoes and other various shoes not specifically made for running. I've been able to run in them okay, but man, I've been missing out with real running shoes.

The first time I ran in the Mizuno Wave Riders was a very great experience. It almost felt as if the shoes were correcting the way I was running. They encouraged me to run on my toes instead of my heels. They are super comfy and cute. I also learned that I have been wearing a half size too small in shoes. I bought these in a size 10 and they are perfect.

I'm starting to keep track of my mileage on the shoes. I've never done this before, but now I understand the importance of changing your shoes out every 350-400 miles. These shoes will definitely be lasting me a long time. I got them from RunTex in Austin Texas only because I had a gift card, but you can find them cheaper other places and even online.

What are your favorite shoe's to run in?

How many miles do you run in your shoes before you buy new one's?

Thursday, February 21, 2013

DOM DOM DOM....Flu?

Last night something hit me out of nowhere. It seems that I may have caught the flu.
I decided to make it to work this morning b/c I didn't actually think I have the flu. But my co-workers were less than thrilled to see me. They were spraying lysol around everywhere and kept the door to our room open to keep from trapping the germs in our tiny room. After an hour a work, I decided it was time to leave and call the doctor....

My appointment is at 11:00. I absolutely hate going to the doctors. I hate everything about it. But I figure I'd better get well before my trip. Mom has already seen the doctor and they've told her that she does in fact have the flu. FLU SHMU.


Has anyone seen this video? I don't know what to think of it. Part of me says it's human instinct to float, but part of me thinks these babies should not be by themselves in the pool.

Tuesday, February 19, 2013

Miami and The Bahamas

Happy Tuesday! Thank God I was off on Monday. Truly needed it.

It appears that I haven't blogged in a very long time. I was getting side tracked. So much to do in so little time. Valentines was short and sweet. My Love went shopping on his OWN and got me some very nice things from Victoria Secret. I can't believe he did it. And he has really good taste. :]

Friday and Saturday we decided that we were party animals and went downtown Austin both nights. Not too much money was spent, but a lot of dancing did happen.

 



Backtrackng to what I said earlier..I've been so busy lately.
 Reason #1 -School started back  
 Reason #2 I've picked up more responsibility
 Reason #3 I have done a lot of shopping and making travel plans
 
I've decided that I need a vacation. Within the next 3 weeks this girl will be:
 
  • Riding in an airplane for the first time ever!!!
  • Going out of State for the first time (Mexico doesn't count to me)
  • Will be in Miama for the first time
  • Going on my second cruise
  • Going to two islands in the Bahamas.
  •  
I am wayyyy too excited! I will be sure to take a blogger bazillion amount of pictures and I will be writing a couple of reviews, tips, and special/key moments.
 
Yes I'm still working out!  I know it's been  while since I've wrote about it. I'm trying to get more used to the treadmill. I know it's a mental game and I know it's something I want to conquer. I want to start running some long runs on the treadmill to get mentally prepared. This will definitely help because I will constantly be wanting to stop on the treadmill but I won't. I'll tell myself to keep going and build both mental and physical endurance.
 
 
Is running on the treadmill easier or harder for you than running outside?
 
Have you gone on any vacations lately?

Have you gone to the Bahamas or Miami? Can you give me of ideas of things I must do?


Monday, February 11, 2013

Pizzaz Pizza Maker Review

Monday Morning hasn't changed, can't get outta bed! Rather go back to the dreams living in my head.

This weekend was very relaxing. I gotta lot of sleep in but no workouts :( I'm kinda upset about that, but I know I gotta get my butt back in gear and I'm definitely ready for a nice workout today...

I'm one of those people that has a bad habit of not fixing things. For example, my stove is not working so I went to go by a Pizzaz Pizza Maker.

I was kinda skeptical about buying it at first but read the reviews and saw nothing but good comments. So I went to go buy a Pizzaz and a Digorno pizza to test it out. Here were the results...
 

I thought the pizza came out better than using a conventional oven. The crust was sooo crisp and the toppings and cheese were perfect. You can adjust the temps to your liking. You start the pizza at the "dual" setting so that the pizza will cook on the top and bottom. If you want a crispier crust you can set the Pizzaz on the "Lower" setting which means it will only cook the bottom side. If you want the toppings or the cheese to be cooked more you put the Pizzaz on the "Upper" setting.

I definitely recommend this product to you. You can also make your own fresh pizza and it will come out great. You can even make potato skins, wings, quesadillas or any other things you would usually put in the conventional oven.

After testing the product out I got a little bored but also knew I had stuff I needed to get. So I met up with my Momma and we headed out to search for shower curtains. Check out this beauty I got...It's so pretty Momma had to get a matching one.

 
This shower curtain made this morning's shower glorious. It was so dark and soothing I felt like I was at a spa. Even My Love approved it.

Well this Monday means I'm back to school. This class is only an online class so that makes me extra happy. For those of you that don't know, I'm in school currently studying Criminal Justice. I only have this semester and the Summer until I receive my associates degree. I'm interested in becoming a Parole/Probation officer. After I am done with school I'm thinking about maybe taking classes to become a personal trainer as well, more for my benefit.

Are you in school for anything or if you had the chance would you go back to school?

Do you own a pizza maker?

What's your Monday looking like?

Friday, February 8, 2013

I'm done...

It's Saturday and as you can see I am home...
...and miserable.

My life story.

I just realized as I was writing this post that I'm no longer writing about myself or my interests, or what you readers like to hear. I'm not writing about anything positive like stuff you'd see on other pages. I guess because it's time to get real.

I'm tired of being 22 and still in school only to receive a degree less than what I expected out of myself.

I'm tired of being "that girl" that pretends in front of her friends and family that she has a perfect life.

I'm tired of being the girl that promotes a healthy lifestyle to others yet still lives an unhealthy life. (e.g. still smoking cigarettes and consuming ridiculous amounts of alcohol)

I'm tired of promising myself that I am going to eat healthy but 13 minutes later eat 2 slices of pizza.

I'm tired of not living the life I want to live because I'm to scared of failing at it.

I'm tired of constantly comparing myself to others.





....and I'm done being that girl that says she's tired of it but does nothing about it.